How EVEN’s Direct-to-Fan Platform Works

EVEN’s artist empowerment platform offers a direct-to-fan tool with daily payouts so artists can develop and monetize fan relationships.

How EVEN’s Direct-to-Fan Platform Works

For independent musicians, streaming revenue alone isn’t often enough to sustain a career. Fans may love your music, but the pennies-per-stream model makes it tough to see real income, even with thousands of plays.

That’s why we’re always looking for innovative, unique models that can help artists grow and get paid for their efforts equitably. And that’s how we were introduced to EVEN — a new platform designed to help artists sell directly to fans and turn casual listeners into paying supporters.

Let’s dive in. 

What is EVEN?

EVEN is a direct-to-fan marketplace where artists release music, projects, or exclusive content that fans can purchase. Unlike Spotify or Apple Music, this isn’t a streaming subscription. Instead, fans buy “releases” — albums, EPs, or even bundles with behind-the-scenes content — and in return, they gain special access. That could mean early listening, bonus tracks, exclusive merch, and more.

For artists, this flips the script: instead of relying on passive streams, you’re inviting fans to invest directly in your work.

How This Can Help Independent Artists

EVEN is a new platform; like anything, there are some pros and cons associated with a platform that’s still growing and evolving, especially for artists that are doing the same.

This tool does not rely on algorithmic discovery across unrelated artists — which puts listener taste in the driver’s seat — instead, an artist’s own promotional work, social media, and fan outreach are what power engagement. If your fanbase is small or limited, converting enough sales is going to be difficult at first. On that same note, because the “direct access” model encourages extra content (behind-the-scenes, exclusive perks, merch, etc.), there’s an implicit cost in creating that content if you decide to lean into it.

With all that in mind however, the benefits of EVEN may outweigh its implicit hurdles in the following ways for indie artists, if you’re ready to commit to this model:

• You keep more of what you earn – There are no upfront fees to start; only a share of your sales (around 20%), and payouts are processed daily. That’s a big difference from waiting weeks or months for streaming royalties to land.

• The potential to build deeper fan relationships – When someone buys your release directly, you’re not just making a sale — you’re gaining insight into your superfans. You can collect fan emails, see who’s really supporting, and grow your direct-to-fan connection.

• Exclusive content helps you stand out from the crowd – Many artists offer a window of exclusivity before uploading the same release to streaming platforms, creating scarcity, boosting demand, and rewarding one’s most loyal fans first.

• Your release reported to charts – Sales are reported to Billboard and other charts, giving independent artists a shot at visibility that may otherwise be out of reach.

Costs for Artists

Unlike similar services, there’s no upfront subscription fee to join. EVEN only earns when you do. At this moment, the platform keeps around 20% per sale (a flat fee that covers hosting, licensing, and payment processing). So if you price an album at $20, you’d keep roughly $16 after fees.

By comparison, Bandcamp takes about 15% for digital sales and about 10% for physical sales, plus there may be payment processing fees by third-parties involved, such as Paypal; while streaming services often return fractions of a cent per play. The higher cost of EVEN is justified for some independent artists due to its stronger focus on superfan access and engagement.

But, Is EVEN Right for You?

This tool works best for artists who already have, or are actively building, a loyal fan base. If you have an audience willing to pay for early access, exclusives, or direct support, this platform can maximize your revenue per fan and deepen intimate engagement. 

If you’re starting from scratch without much of a following, you may need to invest time in fan-building before you see strong returns here. But still, for many indie artists, EVEN offers something refreshing: a way to get paid fairly, immediately, and directly by the people who care most about your music.

How It Works

1. Sign up at: backstage.even.biz
2. Upload your release: add music, artwork, and set pricing. Decide what access perks fans will get.
3. Launch: promote your release to fans. Sales unlock content and extras for them.
4. Get paid: get payouts daily, minus their platform cut.
5. Grow your base: use the fan data and access model to strengthen relationships and fuel future projects.