Singer Kate Nash has turned to OnlyFans as a financial strategy to support her music career, highlighting the challenging economic landscape for musicians today. Under the slogan “Butts for tour buses,” Nash is using the platform to subsidize her tours, which she says are currently making losses rather than profits.
Nash, who recently completed a three-week US tour and is continuing with UK and European dates, explains that touring has become financially unsustainable. Her London show at Koko is sold out, yet she is still losing money. The musician sees few viable options to make tours profitable, noting that artists can either hope to sell enough merchandise to cover costs, cut wages, fire band and crew members, or travel dangerously – none of which she is willing to do.
The singer frames her OnlyFans venture as both a financial necessity and a form of feminist empowerment. “I think it’s a punk protest as a woman to take control of my body and sell it to fund my passion project,” she told BBC News. Nash emphasizes that she often posts similar photos anyway and finds humor in her approach, stating, “I think the arse is the perfect combination of comedy and sexuality.”
Her decision follows a broader trend of musicians struggling with industry economics. A survey from recording studio network Pirate reveals that most artists have not seen an increase in performance fees, despite significant rises in ticket and festival prices. Nash argues that while some corporations and select artists make substantial profits, the majority of musicians are losing money.
This financial strain is creating barriers for working-class artists, with several musicians recently canceling tours due to prohibitive costs. Nash believes the current system is systematically devaluing artistic work, questioning whether music is now more of a “passion project” than a viable career.
Interestingly, Nash suggests that musicians could learn from sex workers about maintaining control and value for their work. She points to the empowerment model of content creators on platforms like OnlyFans, where artists have direct control over their content and earnings.
Nash has been transparent about the financial realities, even telling fans on Instagram, “No need to stream my music, I’m good for the 0.003 of a penny per stream.” Her candid approach mirrors recent revelations by other artists like Lily Allen, who reportedly earns more from selling feet pictures on OnlyFans than from Spotify streams.
The singer’s OnlyFans content remains revealing but not explicitly sexual, reflecting her playful and strategic approach to addressing the music industry’s economic challenges. By sharing her strategy publicly, Nash aims to spark conversation about artists’ financial struggles and potential alternative revenue streams.
Her ultimate goal is to draw attention to the systemic issues facing musicians and encourage a broader discussion about valuing artistic work in an increasingly difficult economic landscape.
