Sarah King was one of many people to make a career transition during the pandemic. After working in a college bookstore, she became a full-time musician in September 2021, and like other artists at the time, King focused on creating new music and building an online fanbase. The pandemic had hit the live music industry hard. Independent venues struggled to stay open, and production teams were out of work. 

King, who describes her music as Americana with soul and blues influences, is touring on her own now, and she finds it challenging. Touring alone is much more financially viable for an independent artist like King, but it means she bears more responsibilities than if she toured with a group.

The biggest issue, she said, is finding a location to play. The venues that have survived the pandemic shutdowns only have limited dates available, she said, as many artists are making up for lost time.

“There are tons of people trying to tour after the pandemic when we couldn’t really get out,” King said. “So that limits opportunities for mid-level artists like me. … I’m not at Taylor Swift’s level, so I’m not going to be selling those types of tickets.”