Kickstarter – coasting on the back of the phenomenal success of the Neil Young project ($5.5m and counting) – has announced that it has helped generate over $1bn in pledges to date. In total, over 15k music projects have been successfully funded on the platform, collectively generating $97.24m. It adds that 12,477 music projects (most notably Björk’s Biophilia Android app) failed to reach their funding target, of which 10k didn’t even manage to get 20% of the way. There are huge potential successes here but also huge potential failures – yet, undeterred by the odds, other acts continue to throw their hat in the ring. Half Man Half Biscuit may sing about the joys of owning a pair of Joy Division oven gloves but Imogen Heap is going a step further with her Mi.Mu gloves (which she has already used in her own performances). Using hand movements, the gloves can be connected to all manner of instruments and software to create music in whole new ways. As well as being a new creative tool, they are also being sold on their compactness, meaning musicians will, in theory, not have to transport an armada of instruments and hardware on the road if they use these gloves instead. Heap is looking to raise £200k and has (as of this morning) secured just over £45k with 26 days to go. Music Ally wants to invest in a pair of Mi.Mu gloves but only use them to play Amanda Palmer’s last album on Pono.
Tools: platforms to help you reach new audiences
Tools: Kaiber
In the year or so since its launch, AI startup Kaiber has been making waves,…