It's never been easy to make money in music. These East Coast artists say it's even harder now

Cape Breton musician Morgan Toney says he'd love to have a bigger band, but further splitting up what money the trio makes right now is out of the question. 

"Keith is playing the guitar, he's playing the harmonica at the same time. He's also playing the tambourine on his foot," said Toney during an interview in Charlottetown as the East Coast Music Awards got underway. 

"He's doing all these instruments because that's all we can afford right now. At the end of the day, we get a five-piece band from the sound of three people." 

Dozens of artists are in Charlottetown for the ECMA festival and conference. The five-day event includes an awards gala, and live performances and conference sessions. For some, it's a way to learn about making a living in the industry. 

Tim Des Islets, founder of Noisemaker Management, a live production and talent management company, says it's a difficult time for artists. 

"Everything is more expensive than it was five years ago. And the industry hasn't been good at catching up with rising inflation," Des Islets said. 

And while major artists can charge hundreds of dollars for a ticket, it's sometimes hard to get people to pay cover for a local bar show. 

"We're just not seeing the people go out and support the lower-level or mid-level artists that are just developing." 

'It’s a lot more work for a lot less': Rising expenses a challenge for East Coast musicians

7 months ago

Duration 2:40

ECMA week in Charlottetown is meant to be a celebration of East Coast music. But a changing industry and rising expenses can make artists’ lives difficult. Tim Des Islets, Jenn Grant and Morgan Toney tell us how.

It all has artists trying to find more revenue streams, he said. That could mean touring or trying to get their music in movies, on TV and in video games. 

"It's a lot more work for a lot less, just to try to keep up and stay afloat," Des Islets said.  

Toney, 24, is in that boat. He tours and sells CDs, and while compact discs are an aging technology, he said people buy them as souvenirs. 

His music is also on online streaming services, but he said those don't offer much of a payoff. 

"You have to have like a million streams to make a buck," he said. "It really hurts to put our music on a streaming service, but it has to be done." 

'I don't know how I got here, but I am here' 

After 20 years in the business, Jenn Grant says she's found ways to get the most out of her career and get through tough times like this.  

She's been nominated for Juno awards and her music has been in TV shows, but she says it can still be difficult. 

"It's harder to get ticket sales, it's harder to get advanced sales — selling records, absolutely [tougher]," Grant said. "I can't really control anything else around me. So I just work, work, work, and make sure I'm working on things I care about and feel passionate about." 

She said the ECMAs are a great chance to pass along what she's learned to other artists. 

"I think we kind of need to support each other with ideas," she said. "Part of the reason I'm excited to be at the ECMAs is so I can meet younger artists, and make myself available for some sort of support as a person who might have answers.

"I don't know how I got here, but here I am." 

Toney is only a few years into his music career. Despite the financial challenges, he said he's determined to make it work.

"We have been lucky, and we're getting by," he said. "I know these times are going to pass us soon."