Artists, builders and communities are redefining the future as we know it. Culture3 tells their stories about fulfilling the cultural promise of the internet. We elevate diverse and eclectic voices to exhibit the creative vitality of web3 artistry, the innovative and genuine use cases being developed by web3 builders, and the meaningful communities augmented by and built on web3.

Music

Why LimeWire’s relaunch stalled and what they’re doing to fix it

After an initial relaunch that left fans and artists wanting more, LimeWire is changing course with a new subscription model. Clovis McEvoy speaks with co-CEOs Paul and Julian Zehetmayr about moving away from one-off drops, combining subscriptions with scarcity, and putting ownership back in the hands of creators.

Why Tim Exile thinks blockchain can unlock new genres of music (and musicians)

Blockchain helps people coordinate over the internet. Tim Exile just asked 'what could this mean for music?' He tells David Harrington why web3 can elevate musical collectives and empower new types of artists. All by reinventing how music gets made.

David Harrington

Working with the enemy: Avenged Sevenfold’s heavy metal approach to NFT ticketing

Renowned heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold have been using NFTs to give their fans exclusive perks since 2021. Now they’re on a new blockchain adventure with Ticketmaster to add to the fan experience. We met with lead singer M. Shadows to see how the band are leveraging the power of NFTs, the challenges of working with an industry giant, and why NFTs won’t benefit artists as much as fans.

“We’re building a world” — Jadyn Violet on web3 music culture

Jadyn Violet has entered the music industry during a time of foundational change, part of a new generation eager to forge a new path beyond the traditional record label. He speaks to Clovis McEvoy about organising IRL events, finding a healthier social discourse, and why community trumps a bear market.

January 30, 2023

“Awareness is the fundamental currency of our reality” — Jimmy Edgar on the power of provocative art

Jimmy Edgar has always been a provocateur. With over twenty years at the forefront of experimental music, he doesn't think music NFTs are worth getting excited about. He speaks to Clovis McEvoy about his creative practice, why everything was really all about visual art, and how AI has allowed him to subvert his own aesthetics.

January 10, 2023

How Milo Lombardi pioneered music NFTs – and helped others follow in his footsteps

Milo Lombardi is a pioneering figure in web3 music. Clovis McEvoy sat down with the saxophonist to talk about his journey to NFTs, why he puts so much time into onboarding fellow musicians, and what 2023 might bring for the space.

January 6, 2023

How web3 gave Fifi Rong a new connection with her fans

A fiercely independent artist, Fifi Rong has carved a career path as unique as her music. In the lead up to her forthcoming EP, she speaks with Clovis McEvoy about drawing inspiration from her heritage, making sacrifices for art, and the paradigm shift of web3.

December 23, 2022

“It made people think of the music on a deeper level” – Domino on building a world around his music

A breakout star in web3 music, Domino broke new ground with the release of Presessence Vol.1. As he prepares for the release of his follow-up album, the artist sits down with Clovis McEvoy to talk about Rolling Stone, the magic of music, and what it takes to build an independent career.

December 7, 2022

Music licensing is broken, and Dequency is fixing it in a way that only web3 can

Dequency has been making waves since launching last year. Web3’s flagship sync-licensing marketplace conducted the first ever music licence onchain and is leveraging web3 tools to build a better licensing system. Clovis McEvoy speaks to founder and CEO, Keatly Haldeman, about why he made the transition from web2, how to fix royalty payments, and crowdsourcing musical taste.

December 6, 2022

“These are songs I've never teased before because they're very precious” — in conversation with Sad Alex

After walking away from a label deal, sad alex found new creative freedom as an independent musician. She speaks to Clovis McEvoy about bringing a different side of her music to web3, the importance of community support, and choosing to take the harder path.

November 17, 2022

“I was going to make music or die trying” — in conversation with Jagwar Twin

Known for his eclectic music and innovative multi-media projects, Jagwar Twin is using the power of web3 to take his immersive storytelling to a new level. The artist sat down with Clovis McEvoy to talk about the new album, his unusual approach to social media, and letting fans explore a prism of his own mind.

October 21, 2022

New tune, same instruments: the changing landscape of web3 music labels

“Ideally an artist who passes through us will have learned everything there is to know about making it on their own.” Clovis McEvoy speaks with founders and industry experts about how web3 is redefining record labels, and what it means for artists.

October 13, 2022

Weav is making it easy for anyone to create a totally unique song

Generative music, so far, hasn’t left the same impact as generative art in web3 culture. Weav is trying to change that, making it easy for anyone to create a truly unique song. Clovis McEvoy speaks to Weav’s Keit Kollo and Mansimran Singh about adaptive music in web3, making tools accessible, and their plans for the metaverse.

September 23, 2022

omgkirby on breaking barriers in web3 music

omgkirby have been in the vanguard of web3’s generative music scene. With sell-out collections and millions of listeners on Spotify, they are pioneering new models of music ownership and are the closest that web3 music has come to going mainstream. They speak to Clovis McEvoy about redefining “what’s possible with music creation” and their unprecedented generative collection with Channel Tres.

September 22, 2022

Putting the pieces together — how Nissi Ogulu is crafting a legacy

Lagos-born and London-based, Nissi Ogulu is telling stories about the breadth of African musical culture. The artist talks to Clovis McEvoy about her recent exhibition, African creativity, and how web3 is making a career in art accessible.

September 2, 2022

“I had no manager, no label, no one telling me how I should do it” — in conversation with Violetta Zironi

After a burgeoning music career that stalled during Covid, Violetta Zironi wanted to do more than TikTok lip syncs. Speaking to Clovis McEvoy, she explains how web3 has enabled her to “find my people” and truly create the music that she wants to create.

August 26, 2022

Onboarding with Aitch: the Manchester rapper behind the UK's first ever chart-eligible NFT album

EXCLUSIVE: one of the UK's most exciting musical talents, Aitch tells Culture3 why NFTs were “an obvious step” and how he is leaning into web3's core features to build a stronger relationship with his fans. Clovis McEvoy explains what makes this is a big step for web3, Aitch, and LimeWire — and why it is one to watch.

August 19, 2022

“Web3 feels like you don’t need the industry” — how Ed Balloon is making a music career on his own terms

After forming his first band at the age of 10, Ed Balloon struggled to break through as a cross-genre musician. His is a story of how serendipity and moments of inspiration come to the persistent and the committed, and how web3 gave this Boston-born artist an opportunity to share his message that he's taking full advantage of.

How Jburn is building a hip hop career from the ground up

“I don’t have designs or big plans for these things I’m making, I just build them brick by brick.” Jburn shows how artists are taking careers into their own hands with web3. He talks web3 music with Clovis McEvoy, and figuring out how to adjust to finally having fans.

Explore topics

Music

Music has always been ahead of the curve — it's defining a new era of culture

Film

Film-making was once the preserve of a privileged few — technology is empowering a new generation

Storytelling

Technology is create new forms of storytelling and redefining old ones — we're watching it all

Blockchain

Blockchain changes how the world interacts with the internet — we profile the new changemakers

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence gives us revolutionary knowledge — we explore how it could change our planet

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