I’d never even heard of her a month ago. But then I read she donated a million bucks to MrBeast’s TeamWater charity and…

Musicians don’t donate that much. Almost nobody does. And if they do, they want to let everybody know about it.

Where did Sophie Rain get all this money?

ONLYFANS!

That’s right, porn. But it’s not the porn of yore, some fly-by-night outfit in the San Fernando Valley that rips off performers as they get STDs. No, this sister is doing it for herself.

Steve Jobs famously said he was selling tools. That’s what a platform is. It allows you to distribute your wares far and wide. It does not guarantee you make any money. Peruse TikTok and you’ll find women testifying that they tried OnlyFans to crickets. They bared their assets, but no one cared.

You see selling yourself online is hard work.

But all the establishment can do is put down the influencers.

So I Googled Sophie Rain. She’s large-busted and attractive, but you can see this kind of star as you walk down Hollywood Boulevard, some who are famous, some who you hardly even recognize.

That’s right, Sophie Rain is not that special. Not that there’s anything wrong with her, but…HOW DID SHE MAKE SO MUCH MONEY?

To tell you the truth, I did not do a deep dive. But I do know enough about the sphere to be aware that influencers, successful OnlyFans stars, work harder than most musicians, all those complaining they don’t get paid on Spotify. Because these online stars realize that their success depends on themselves and themselves only. That they’ve got to work to bring in the bread.

Now not everybody can be successful on OnlyFans. You must be physically appealing. That does not mean you have to be classically beautiful, just that you must appeal to a segment of the public. And the segment doesn’t even have to be that big, you don’t have to reach everybody, far from it. Because if you have superfans, they will support you, just like the BTS Army supports the Korean group.

Most people are not fans of BTS and most people are not fans of Sophie Rain, even though the out of touch press will tell you they are. We live in a Tower of Babel society and no one wants to admit it, because that would mean their reach and power is less than they believe it to be, that they tell everybody else it is.

But the online influencers, their goal is different from the musical acts on MTV in the eighties. They don’t want or need world domination, and they don’t want any fame that doesn’t pay. It’s lowest common denominator, they’re doing it for the money.

Like so many performers in music today.

The only problem is it’s easier to make money, and more of it, online as an influencer or OnlyFans star. And you don’t have to spend all that time practicing your instrument.

So what does an influencer/OnlyFans star know?

That they have to constantly produce. Usually each and every day, multiple times a day. It’s a jungle out there, and if they don’t work, no money comes in.

And they’re willing to give a ton away free, to get people to subscribe, to partake.

And they’re congenial and responsive. You’ve got to be nice, you’ve got to act like a best friend, like a girlfriend, you’ve got to make people believe…and you’ve got to be SMART!

It’s not about having a manager or a label. Sure, you ultimately need an accountant, but you know your career is in your hands.

And you know not everybody makes it. So you’ve got to be special and, once again, hard-working.

I don’t hear this from “musicians.” They’ll spam you to pay attention, but why? They’re better marketers than players. And all they can do is complain that they can’t get paid.

But this is a sea change in America. It’s the nichification. The stars are smaller than ever before, but that does not mean they are not richer. And just because music was the easiest way for the unwashed, the uneducated, to make riches in the past, that is not the case today.

Bottom line is Olivia Rodriguez and even Miley Cyrus are competing, poorly, with the OnlyFans girls. They’re selling sex written by committee, whereas on OnlyFans, it comes straight from the heart, and the vagina.

And the OnlyFans girls stay on brand, they know what they’re famous for, everything they do is an extension of sexuality/friendship. It’s not about selling merch, but planting yourself in someone’s brain…the goal is to hook men emotionally and string them along.

So… You sell one on one services. You have a bank of phone sex operators imitating/playing you…

If I was running a conference, if I was some music trade, I wouldn’t feature the pompous voices of brain dead musicians, I’d go deep on one of these OnlyFans girls.

And, of course, there are those not selling sex, the so-called “influencers.” But one thing is for sure, they’re selling THEMSELVES! They know it’s about identity, personality, whereas wannabe musicians think their bland, poorly-performed music, is enough.

Oh, don’t get your knickers in a twist with me ‘putting down” players. Really, I’m not even talking about the players, I’m talking about the infrastructure.

We keep on hearing major labels can’t break acts anymore. That’s because they consider a break what it was in the last century, something that reaches everybody and sells tonnage. No, today it’s all about bunts and doubles at best. If you’re swinging for the fences you’ve got it wrong. Sophie Rain doesn’t care that most people are not paying attention to her, she only cares that SOME PEOPLE are paying attention to her.

So, you can see the lineup for a festival and shrug your shoulders. Who cares about these acts? Meanwhile, the true headliners will only work on their own, knowing they can make more money only appealing to the fans they’ve already got.

All this is happening right under our noses, but everybody from the old days wants to deny it, they want to believe it’s the same as it ever was.

But it’s not.

Loyalty doesn’t pay.

You torch your reputation and then you’re kicked to the curb like a dog, promised some gig later, like an unnamed player in a sports trade.

Now the biggest news today is not Bondi’s firing, but Macron’s excoriation of Trump. Blasting him for not only undercutting NATO, but flip-flopping on his reasons for the Iran war and more. Seems like the rest of the world is no longer afraid of the president. I’d say he’s worn out his welcome, but it’s worse than that, he’s eviscerated two hundred fifty years of American good will. You used to count on America to support you, as a backstop, to do what is right. Now you know you’re on your own, and may be victimized by a tyrant.

Not that this is new in the rest of the world. Sure, antisemitism is a problem in the Republican party, but it’s this constant veneration of Viktor Orbán that upsets me. The guy is a dictator, who rigs elections, but it’s not only Trump who lauds him, Tucker went to visit him. If you’re playing the home game you’re scratching your head, this guy is the antithesis of America and its values.

Then again, if you’ve been playing the home game, it’s now three-dimensional chess, with so much going on it’s not only hard to get a grasp on it, it makes you want to detach.

Starting off with gas prices… Did you see that GM’s sales dropped 9.7%? Not hard to believe when your business model is based on selling overpriced gas-guzzlers. Meanwhile, BYD has introduced an electric car battery that can fully charge in ten minutes that has in excess of 600 miles of capacity. And the American car companies have shuttered most of their EV development and written off billions. Then again, Trump eliminated incentives, he’s against green energy. As for the government shepherding new technologies with investment…you drank Tang after the astronauts did, right?

And speaking of green energy, Trump paid a billion bucks to a French energy company to cancel wind farms. And that’s YOUR billion dollars, there was no talk of donor money here. Just like with Kristi Noem and her planes.

Yes, in light of the “Daily Mail” story about her husband, Noem gets a pass for her rumored relationship with Corey Lewandowski, but she toed the Trump line and was excised, it’s just a matter of time. Who are these bozos who haven’t seen the movie, who don’t realize it’s just a matter of time before they’re history?

Sure, it’s a triumph for the people that Bondi and Noem are gone… But were they so enamored of these government gigs that they not only cast caution to the wind, but their brains too?

So we’ve got a war, and all we hear about from Trump and Bondi is the stock market. As if the number reflects the general health of America when so many are living paycheck to paycheck. Meanwhile, if you’ve got any investments, it’s scary to look at the number…forget taxes, Trump is taking directly from your pocketbook.

And the corporations and the rich have benefited from the Great Big Beautiful Bill and…

At rallies we’ve got signifiers in the streets living in the last century, when Ukraine is holding Russia at bay with drone technology and elders can’t stop bitching about technology and social media. Sure, Bondi may have misread the room, but she’s not the only one.

So it’s kind of funny, we’re experiencing whiplash, seemingly each and every day. And those working the refs keep telling us that MAGA is not wavering, they’re firmly behind Donald Trump. Yeah, get them to say that while they’re pumping gas for their SUV… TikTok is riddled with disenchanted Trump voters, literally standing at the pump and decrying the president.

And the old wise men and women who think they’re in charge keep playing by pre-internet rules. As if the internet doesn’t exist. Do you know what the main problem with the No Kings rally was? NO PRESS! Unless you were looking for it, you didn’t see it.

Meanwhile, our country is fading away, while those invested in the system keep telling us to believe in it and Sophie Rain brings in over a hundred million dollars on OnlyFans.

Vocalist extraordinaire.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/betty-lavette/id1316200737?i=1000758827609

https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/81ac818c-d188-4f8c-9008-402234643bd7/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-betty-lavette

The problem is the major labels have all the leverage, as a result of their catalogs. They wield these in negotiations with each and every distributor, and the indies have little power. This is not like tech, where yesterday’s wares are useless, in music, the hits of the past continue to generate revenue at almost no cost, especially in these days of digital distribution. Furthermore, copyright terms have been extended on a regular basis, to make sure Disney characters don’t fall into the public domain, got to keep the Mouse House happy.

We saw the power of these catalogs with the negotiation of streaming remuneration. Bottom line, the publishers, and therefore the songwriters, got screwed. The labels cared first and foremost about recordings, and if their publishing arms got less…it all added up to the same at the end of the day, it was just a matter of how the pot was divided before being reunited.

But we no longer live in the past. There are only three major label groups, where there used to be six. And new labels are not popping up on a regular basis like they did in the past. Without a catalog, you can’t make it.

But even worse, majors are signing fewer acts in fewer genres, hurting not only musicians, but the culture at large.

So…

The bottom line is some of the greatest acts in history are now independent, they don’t have record deals. If they make an album, they might license it to a major, but they are not under the pressure of a regular deal, with delivery timetables.

But it’s not only the classic rockers, but Lorde… She finished her Universal deal and is now completely unfettered, and happy to be so.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg, you see…

You may have read the Lorde announcement, but like an iceberg, what really counts is what’s beneath the surface, not seen by the naked eye.

Yes, over the last year, while indie clubs have been going out of business in the U.K., when it’s harder than ever to break a new act, the titans of the past have quietly banded together with the young ‘uns to serve independent artists.

It’s a who’s-who… First and foremost, Paul McCartney. That’s why he did those underplays at the Fonda, he was in Hollywood sealing the deal.

Look at it like Tidal. But much better organized.

We’ve got McCartney, Elton John, Don Henley, Bonnie Raitt, Ian MacKaye of Fugazi, Chance the Rapper and Lorde on the board. They’re going to change the rules of the music business.

First and foremost, if you’re a member of the Alliance, you agree to use an indie act as your opener. Whether it’s in a theatre or a stadium. Indies need exposure, and the Alliance is going to deliver it. And we all know that everything starts on the road these days.

In addition, Scott Greenstein has agreed to give the Indie Alliance a permanent channel on SiriusXM. Where established acts will give their imprimatur to indies. Introducing them to the public. And when critical mass is hit, there will be a tour, just like with Little Steven’s Underground Garage.

And, Spotify has already agreed to put an indie act on its homepage for at least a week a month. The three majors get the other three, righting the balance for the first time in a long time.

Also, there will be an Indie Alliance playlist in every genre.

As for Apple, Amazon and Deezer… They have not put pen to paper yet, but where Spotify goes, the rest follow. As for Tidal…since it was offloaded on to Mr. Square, Jack Dorsey, we’ve barely heard a peep.

But who is going to run this operation, organize it and make the trains run on time?

Well, Doug Morris is coming out of retirement. Along with Jeff Ayeroff. Morris never wanted to go and Ayeroff has a creative mind absent from today’s record world, which will allow the Indie Alliance to triumph.

Let’s be clear, this is not a record company. And it’s more than a lobbying organization. It’s a trade union plus. Whose goal is a fair wage for musicians, but even more, fair marketing and exposure.

And there is an agenda…

Rock has been excised from the frontlines, there will be a concerted effort to bring it back. Melodious stuff, with hooks and changes… Tom Scholz has agreed to mentor acts, the Boston sound continuing to resonate in the culture.

And producers too… The Commander, Mike Chapman, still has his chops. None of the old guys can get gigs, but they’re’ dying to work. So they’re agreeing to mentor indies for free. Consider it a spec deal. They’ve got upside, but there are no cash down payments.

And Live Nation, always looking to burnish its image, will provide Omar for hands-on advice. And Monday will be indie night at all the amphitheatres. It’s a hard night anyway, usually dark. And if Live Nation can sell beer and parking, they’re always up for making a deal.

Jimmy Iovine wanted a competition, to see which acts would be pushed, but the success of Beats is overshadowed by his record of failure in innovation…Jimmy & Ted’s Farm Club anyone? And having recently dissed streaming outlets, saying they’re in their death throes…Spotify said if Jimmy’s in, they’re out. So Jimmy’s on the sidelines.

The Indie Alliance is not a minor league. It’s about promoting acts that can sell out arenas if they just get exposure, if people could just see them and hear them.

The goal is to be noticed by Doug and Jeff, or members of the board, to the point where they think you can be bigger. Kind of like a record company of yore. Everybody can’t get a deal, everybody can’t play, but there are those deserving who need a little push.

Of course there will be lobbying for better terms.

No cuts of merch until the act sells in excess of 5,000 tickets. These acts need every penny to survive.

Elon Musk offered a slew of Tesla driverless trucks for equipment, and some Model 3s for club level acts, but no one wanted to work with him, his karma is too bad.

Not that other companies can’t invest, come along. Rumor has it some cannabis companies are about to ink deals to support indie musicians, since they’re all running on dope anyway.

And indie values will be promoted. If you want to sell out, be a brand, go with a major. Talk about bringing the value of music back…it’s more than money. You can take sponsorship money, but if you’re doing brand extensions…perfume, clothing and whiskey…you cannot be promoted by the Indie Alliance.

It’s music first. Truly.

That does not mean you can’t be flamboyant, wear outfits, have a theatrical act, but the music is paramount. The mission of the Indie Alliance is not only to help the independent musician, but music itself. After all, the majors and the acts they promote are doing a good job of killing it.

There’s no lip service involved. If you’re an established act, a member, you must let an indie open your show, you must help the indies, otherwise you’re out.

As for Jim Dolan’s guarantee of an indie residency at the Sphere…

He says he’ll do it once the acts are established, when they can sell enough tickets, since the Sphere holds nearly 20,000 people. You can be number one on Spotify, and most people don’t know. But if you play the Sphere, everybody knows! So Dolan’s offer is blue chip.

It has gone too far, we’ve got too many cartoon acts, dancing fools mini-corporations, who have dragged down the value of music, made it a sideshow, irrelevant of the number of dollars involved. We need to get back to where we once belonged. That’s one of the main reasons the classic acts are involved, because they remember when. Whereas kids today have grown up with vapidity.

Also, this will burnish the image of aged acts, being involved with young ‘uns, maybe cowriting with them.

The Indie Alliance is open to all genres, however Nashville is not happy, it doesn’t want to give up its stranglehold on country music. And hip-hop already has a thriving independent scene, but a lot of those acts could be bigger.

This is great. Two thumbs up. Kudos!