SEATTLE — Deep in the woods of western Washington, a melody makes its way through the trees.
It’s Maple Valley’s own Zan Fiskum practicing for her upcoming tour. She has a captive audience of farm animals who surround her tiny home.
"Yeah, so I'll do like a couple hours of work on the farm a week for rent trade and then I’ll do a concert for her. She does a farm fair every year," said Fiskum. “The pace of life is what I like."
The singer-songwriter lives a life of simplicity, but it’s not without its challenges.
“Water’s off for a little bit. It’s actually really not that bad," said Fiskum of her tiny home.
Not that bad: it’s this positive mindset that keeps Fiskum in an industry that-- these days-- comes at a higher cost.
"It's incredibly expensive for anybody to live. And artists are especially feeling that," said Fiskum.
Denise Burnside, a Seattle music industry veteran who runs Smash, a nonprofit connecting Washington musicians to healthcare, said times are tough for musicians right now.
"Touring still is the major way that artists make money," said Burnside.
She sees every day just how difficult the climate became for artists when high inflation hit, with most rising artists "usually losing" money on their tours.
The same rental van that would have cost an artist $100 back in 1997 would cost them $175 today, based on inflation estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor.
"You’re still doing it just for promotion," said Burnside. "And that’s why a lot of artists have canceled touring.”
Popular indie artist Santigold is one example.
She canceled her fall 2022 tour, refunding ticketholders of her planned stop at the Showbox Sodo in Seattle and at venues in 18 other cities, calling the music industry “unsustainable” after COVID-19 shutdowns.
"As a touring musician, I don’t think anyone anticipated the new reality that awaited us," said Santigold. "We were met with the height of inflation... many of our tried-and-true venues unavailable due to a flooded market of artists trying to book shows in the same cities."
Burnside said she felt Santigold eloquently articulated the challenges artists are facing.
“If an artist like that is struggling, you have to think of all the artists at her size or lower," said Burnside.
But Fiskum is determined to sustain. For example, she is circumventing high gas prices by flying on her three-week tour instead of driving. But airfare isn’t cheap either. According to NerdWallet, it is up 26.5% this year versus last.
So Fiskum is packing light.
"Why did you decide to only take a carry-on?" we asked.
"To save money," she said.
Plus, hotel rooms are pricey. So on her Alabama stop, Fiskum decided to stay with a fan.
“I'm staying in their daughter’s bedroom. I think they’re 12 and 8, and they made me a, ‘Welcome to our room, Zan' [sign]. How cute is that?" said Fiskum.
And, for rising artists, with the cuts Fiskum says music venues often take, the cost often outweighs the profit.
At a show she played at a music venue in Denver last month, she said she "definitely" lost money that night, rather than gained.
On her other stops, in true Fiskum fashion, she found a loophole: playing non-traditional venues like a bookstore.
"And just like, asked for donations and stuff, and just was super lucrative, and super fun," said Fiskum. She also played a yacht club and a house party.
While Fiskum is empowered by her ability to make it work, she also said many of Washington’s artists are getting squeezed out.
"It's really sad to see, 'cause it’s some really talented people," she said.
That is why Burnside hopes Washingtonians will work to support those talented people by going to see their shows and buying their merch and music.