HELP HAIL YOUR HIGHNESS VAN FUND

Hi, we're sisters Jessie & Niki and we're in a dream rock band called Hail Your Highness. Playing music live and being able to travel and tour is a huge part of what we do as career musicians and not having a reliable vehicle means missing out on opportunities to not only share our music with the world, but hinders our ability to make a living wage.

Instagram Reel About SXSW & Van Falling Apart (click to watch)

LATEST UPDATE ON THE VAN 5.10.24 FALLING APART (click to watch)

Our van has safely gotten us from point A to point B for the last 10 years, not without some struggles along the way (hello no AC in the south in 100+ degree temps or bye bye brakes on Midwest winter roads etc. etc.) but in recent years, post pandemic especially, our van has been slowing down quickly in her ability to transport us safely.

At the beginning of this year (January 2024) we were offered a paid slot to play a showcase at SXSW (South By Southwest) in Austin, TX (a major music and film festival) one of the largest festivals in the world, and the largest payment we've ever been offered as a band. Though large in our eyes, the payment wouldn't cover costs to repair our van, gas for a 3000 mile round trip, and accommodations to get there and back and we ended up having to turn it down because we couldn't trust our van to make it in one piece there and back from northern Michigan. If we have to keep turning down these amazing opportunities, it will further hurt and stunt the growth of our band in every way. Longer tours or even shows over 6 hours away are out of the question for us at the moment which is incredibly frustrating and disheartening especially when so many people are asking for us to play outside the Midwest and it's our main source of income. We've been at a standstill with what to do and who to turn to for financial support as a fully independent, DIY band. Every financial burden falls on the 2 of us and our only other main support, our manager at Clean Cut Entertainment (our best friend).

On our last weekend run in March, a huge rusted piece of the driver's side running board was dragging along the highway and we had to pull off to remove it the best we could (thank you Michigan winters and your salty roads). She is just falling apart on these long trips and deserves an easy rest of her life simply getting someone back and forth to work or to someone who wants to restore her to her former glory.

Our backs are against the wall when it comes to being able to afford to travel to shows safely and we're asking for public support, from friends and family, lovers of our music, and anyone who feels compelled and able to give. Our goal feels unattainable, we've never asked for financial support in this capacity and we tried to come up with a reasonable number to get us another long lasting, safe vehicle. Ideally we'd love to find a high top sprinter van to convert into something that we could travel in comfortably with a place to sleep and eat on the road so we don't have to pay for hotels or Airbnb's all the time. We'd always be with our gear as well which would put our minds at ease because of all the horror stories we've heard of bands getting their van's broken into and gear stolen which is one of our biggest fears.

The goal is always to improve our travel conditions as efficiently as possible while making sure as women and musicians we are protected and as safe as we possibly can be within our control. We are fulltime musicians. This is our every day. Our job. And while we know it's a privilege to be able to pursue a career in music, it is truly one of hardest jobs out there especially on an independent level. We would love to exceed our goal, but our biggest wish right now is being able to continue to travel and travel further to play music. We have shows booked through the Fall, so there's no slowing down for us and we need to be able to afford a new van as soon as possible.

Thank you for your support in advance. If you can't give financially, please help by sharing our fundraiser on social media to help spread the word. You never know who may be able to give or may have connections. Every little bit helps in keeping our livelihood afloat. Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts.

Photos by Kennedy Cottrell, Shonda Michelson, and Mathew Beeler