By Danielle Lyons
Amanda Palmer got her start in the music industry in an indie band called, The Dresden Dolls. She has since been involved with many musical collaborations; her most successful endeavor being Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra. In her career, she is notorious for doing spontaneous performances that are completely free to the public. An integral part of her career has been being accessible and in close contact with her fans.
After leaving her record label, she started a Kickstarter campaign in order to raise money for a record, an art book and a tour. She made the conscious decision to give away her music for free. Instead of forcing them to pay, she asked them for their help in funding her current projects. Her ability to ask for help is what made this Kickstarter campaign a huge success. She raised 1.2 million dollars; the largest music crowd funding to date. She later delivered a speech at a TEDtalk event called, The Art of Asking. Later on she released a book by the same name, which since has reached The New York Times Best Sellers List.