Some of my favorite artists to support are those that you don’t hear on the radio every day. Selfishly, it can be rewarding to support lesser-known musicians and watch them grow. It’s really cool, for lack of a better word, to witness them finding their path to success and doing anything you can to help them achieve that success.

Part of my appreciation for independent artists comes from my love for artists like daysormay, Lizzy McAlpine, and more. Their music, and them as people, have gotten me through a lot and I wouldn’t be the same person without their influence. The other part of it comes from my want to make music myself. Writing songs has become more than just a hobby for me; it’s an outlet and something that, if given the chance, I’d love to pursue in some way. The members of daysormay, with the help of one of my closest friends, produced part of a song of mine as a surprise birthday present, and ever since I’ve been itching to take music more seriously. Supporting musicians who inspire me to chase my dreams just like they are has been so impactful for me.

Of course, being able to say you’ve “been there since the beginning” is nice, but there is so much more to it than that. The communities that are created surrounding a small artist are some of the most loving, tight-knit groups I have ever been in. Some of my closest friends are people that I met through daysormay, including the members of the band itself.

Supporting independent artists doesn’t only benefit you, it also benefits the artists. Presaving and streaming their songs, reposting their posts on your Instagram story, and even just telling your friends about them are all so immensely helpful. Fans befriending other fans is helpful to the artist, too, because it creates a welcoming community that other people might see and want to join. This mutually beneficial relationship between artist and fan is one that I couldn’t recommend more.