Homeless Street Musician Cleans Up Act & Launches Kickstarter Campaign

Remember Daniel Mustard? He is the once-homeless and alcoholic street musician who became a viral sensation on YouTube after appearing on the Opie & Anthony Show performing a painfully beautiful rendition of Radiohead's "Creep" – which has now gone on to garner nearly 8 million views to date. After an amazing out-pour of support from people all over the world looking to help Mustard get his life together and make something of his music, the New York-based musician has cleaned up his act and has launched a Kickstarter campaign to finish a new album.

When Hypebot first reported about Daniel Mustard landing a record deal with Story Records back in late 2010, it became one of the most widely read posts we've ever published. However, he was still homeless and battling his alcohol demons at the time. In the past several months however, Mustard has sobered up and is now off the streets focusing on his music.

“The incredible outpouring of support and attention I've received from folks all over the world has been absolutely mind blowing and has given me the motivation to carry on,” Mustard said on his Kickstarter page.

The proceeds from his campaign go towards funding the final stages of his new record, including mixing and mastering, paying session musicians, pressing CDs/vinyl, merchandise, and distribution costs.

Mustard has been building a fan base that has been incredibly dedicated to seeing him succeed, with a large amount coming internationally from as far as Southeast Asia and Russia. As diverse as his fan base is, the common denominator among all of them is that they all feel a close personal connection with Mustard, as he holds nothing back when communicating via social media and lets them in on even the most intimate aspects of his life.

As such, his fans feel deeply connected and invested in him from an emotional standpoint, but this campaign is a way for them to financially invest in his success as well. As a way to capitalize on those deep connections he’s made over the years, Mustard is providing tiered, experience-based fan offerings as a way to attract higher pledges.

These include personal Skype performances, personalized cover song videos, and even a “homeless walking tour,” where Mustard will take fans around Lower Manhattan (where he spent several years living in Washington Square Park) to share stories of his time when he was struggling with alcohol addiction and homelessness. 

Daniel Mustard’s Kickstarter campaign is now live and can be accessed here.

Check out the video that started it all:

And Daniel Mustard today:

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Hisham Dahud is a Senior Analyst for Hypebot.com. Additionally, he is the head of Business Development for Fame House, LLC and an independent musician. Follow him on Twitter: @HishamDahud