As of next August, Fernanda Lira, CRYPTA lead vocalist and bassist, will begin her journey of living independently. She took to social media to share that this move was unplanned, and, as such, she appealed to her fans for financial support to outfit her new abode, revealing a Pix key for contributions. However, not all reactions were favorable, and the artist found herself having to provide explanations.
Everything kicked off when she broached the topic for the first time. In a post that has since been removed, Fernanda initially emphasized her lack of home essentials and the significant expenses linked with equipping an entire house.
She wrote in original post (via Whiplash): “Changes in my life have happened in the last few months and now, at the end of August, I’m going to live alone for the first time in my life! It’s not something I had planned, so I just don’t have a dishtowel to call my own (except for a few gifts I’ve gotten from close friends). I’m going to have to furnish everything from scratch and you know how absurd things are guys, right? So I decided to open a Pix for anyone who wants it and can send me a little gift in this new stage. Literally any amount will help me a lot, because starting from scratch is really very financially challenging, especially paying for the 9293860 installments that I will have to make to buy everything!”
The artist conveyed that she had given considerable thought before bringing this matter to the public’s attention. Nevertheless, given her consistent willingness to aid others in their time of need, she found no issue in asking for financial assistance on this occasion.
Fernanda continued: “I thought a thousand times before coming to expose myself here about this, because I know that the internet is a hostile place, but I remember that you were always here and came together all the countless times I made a crowdfunding to help people, to ask for help for buy basic food baskets for the needy people on my street, for fundraising campaigns for various things, so I figured maybe you wouldn’t see a problem getting along now that it’s my turn to need help.”
Ultimately, a significant number of followers reacted negatively to the situation. Lira faced backlash as some users argued that she shouldn’t be soliciting funds online, especially after attending European concerts (like Beyoncé), exploring the continent post the “Echoes Over Europe Tour,” and being part of a touring band – suggesting she must be financially stable.
In response to the unfavorable reactions, Fernanda removed the initial post and issued a clarification via Instagram Stories. In a lengthy message, she emphasized that the move wasn’t anticipated and that the intent wasn’t to sponge off others, but merely to seek financial help for certain items, akin to a “bridal shower.”
She concluded by defending her expenditures and expressing her views on the negative perception of pursuing a career in music, which is often dismissed as a hobby or an easy, lucrative endeavor, overlooking the challenges inherent in it.
Read her statement in full: “I love my followers, for me they are a support network too and my intention was to ask for help from dear people, which we have all done in our lives (don’t lie to yourselves). But sometimes I forget the exposure my profiles get and that not everyone is cool either. Let’s make some clarifications:
Yes, I have a thousand plans for the next few months: raffle for my old bass, I’m about to open my patreon, I’ll keep going with my side jobs when I get back from touring, because I know that even working with the band and other things, the troubles will last a while. But these things will take some time to get off the ground and into practice! Like I said, I went through an abrupt change and I’m in a rush now to get the basics so I can move – and I didn’t think it would be a problem to ask for help, but apparently for most people, asking for help with anything, it’s a shame.
“I’ve seen several friends in this situation, I’ve helped several and I’ve never seen a problem, but I understand that not everyone sees it that way. I’m not asking anyone to give me a furnished house: even if you wanted to, it would be impossible! Do you know when you have a bridal shower and friends give you cloths, pans, dish drainers? That was the intention, but it was completely distorted by the crowd, as if I wanted you to back me, which makes absolutely no sense!
“But I spent my whole life volunteering, donating to hundreds of NGOs, crowdfundings and pages, campaigning to relieve hunger from a fan who sent me a message, I managed to get work for people who were behind on rent, in the pandemic I took actions to get a basic basket to donate, I made a collection to take in occupation, I already saved financially for months by paying rent out of my pocket to the family that lost everything in the flood while I myself had lost something in the flood, in short, I never stopped reaching out to anyone, and for always helping people , I didn’t think it would be such a big problem to be once on the other side.
“I’m not shy about asking for help and no one should be, because I believe in a sense of community. It is because of this stigma of not asking for help that many people suffer and it is because of this individualistic thinking that the world is the way it is.
“People forget that everyone goes through difficulties, big or small, today is one, tomorrow it could be you, and suffering in silence doesn’t make you more or less a hero than anyone else. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help and giving back when someone needs it.
“I’ve already donated to different causes, some serious, and also other simpler ones, one thing doesn’t exclude the other and there’s room for everyone’s needs. I thank everyone who helped me, you are amazing, thank you for your empathy, it will help me a lot. And don’t care who’s talking rubbish, the majority will always criticize everything I do.
“‘Ah, but what about Beyoncé?’: Ticket was purchased many months before this situation.
“‘What about the shows you went to in Europe?’: I didn’t pay to get into any of them, otherwise I wouldn’t have gone exactly because I don’t have any money.
“‘And your vacation in Europe?’: My decision to stay at my friend’s house generated absurd savings for the band and for me too, that’s the only reason I stayed, if I had gone back to Brazil I would have spent a lot more.
“But he had no savings and now he wants to live at the expense of a fan?: Every artist you know has spent their savings during the pandemic, even doing side jobs, like I did (remember I delivered on a motorcycle?). In addition, I donated thousands of reais to people who were in a worse situation than mine, it happens.
“Finally, the comment I received the most was: get a real job. It is very sad to see that even though everyone consumes art every day, art is still seen as a bum thing, which is just glamor and traveling the world. I know that I have the privilege of having a job that I love and that gives me incredible things, but it’s a job that you will never know. Every work has its value. If you think art is for bums, then live your life without art and watch how sad it will be. To the haters, I wish that you never need help and that if you do, that you never get the same energy you’re throwing at me, I wish you better than that.”
