WHEN the success of an album is put in the hands of fans, it's an added bit of pressure for the artist.
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Just ask alternative country singer Emma Beau, who crowded funded her debut self-titled album.
"I am an independent artist, I didn't want to do the record deal thing and be in debt," she said.
"My fans are my record deal and I didn't want to let them down, it needed to be high quality and enjoyable and have everything they like on there."
The project asked for $12,000 and her fans delivered $13,000.
Beau moved to Gympie as a teenager where she learned country music style.
A singer-songwriter and musician, Beau has played the fiddle since she was eight.
Her album is an honest peek into her personal life, and not all of the songs were easy to share.
"Bridesmaid was the hardest song to write, it's very personal and about losing a friend and a friendship you thought would be there forever," she said.
"It came from a really dark place."
Unusual in her process, Beau writes the lyrics and the music at the same time.
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The album is an enjoyable mix of country, folk and a 70's rock feel, with nine of the 11 songs written by Beau herself.
"Those are my experiences with life and what happens in it," she said.
Beau is booked to perform at the Gympie Muster, Horizon Festival and should be back in Tamworth for the country music festival in January.