Gretta Ziller Opens Up About The Elephant In The Room: Low Ticket Sales

Melbourne country artist Gretta Ziller is known for her stunning brand of Americana music that, on her latest single, Ain’t Even Your Lover, released in February, is liberating and fun.

Ziller knows how to express herself honestly – Ain’t Even Your Lover is about “giving your time and emotion to someone and that someone being a leech – just sucking and sucking and taking and taking – and it not being a real human relationship, where it’s give and take,” she said earlier this year.

Outside of her songs, just how honest does Ziller get? According to a new Facebook post (posted yesterday), she gets candid about the issues musicians face today, including addressing the elephant in the room, which is low ticket sales.

Revealing that this weekend’s show at Noojee Pub has been cancelled due to low ticket sales, but her George Lane concert will go on, Ziller provides the kind of commentary all music fans need to read.

“I’ve been living quite the whirlwind lately,” Ziller began, acknowledging her recent tour dates and upcoming Nashville Exchange Program scholarship, which will find Ziller performing at AmericanaFest next month; she added, “The daily struggle with stress & anxiety is real. I’ve been in tears most days for a month. Thank goodness for the handful of amazing souls that allow me to release the pressure valve.”

She continued, “Sooo ... the elephant in the room: ticket sales. It's been a rocky road, with each show costing money and very few breaking even. Paying the support and musicians and advertising. I've spent money and time on promotions, posters, radio & media interviews. Everything I could think of, yet nothing has turned the dial.

“It's a reality that's hitting many of us in the industry. I've spoken to bookers, PR folks, and label insiders. They’ve all said unless you’re a major international touring act, a heritage act or one of the lucky few, the rest are struggling… like really struggling.”

Despite her struggles, Ziller said that there’s a way that you can help. “If you’re a person that likes to support the independent business, consider that artists are part of that same local ecosystem,” she wrote.

Significantly, by supporting artists like Ziller, your support extends to “small venues, the staff they employ, other musicians, techs and many others. You’re also likely supporting cafes & restaurants around the venue too.

“On a practical level, you’re also supporting your finances! Think how much you spent at the last ‘arena’ style show you went to. You could likely afford to see 3 to 4 local acts and have a few drinks and a meal with that same amount of money.”

Noting that her post wasn’t about getting up on a soapbox, Ziller only hopes to remind fans of the gift of perspective. You can buy tickets to Ziller’s Album Launch show at George Lane, St Kilda, here.

Gretta Ziller will release her third album, ALL THESE WALLS, this Friday, 25 August. Pre-order or pre-save the album here.