Iman Europe and The Agenda discuss mental well-being, music, Web3, and The Homies DAO.

Engage with any successful musician, and they will likely express that attaining fame is both a blessing and a burden. While achieving success in the entertainment industry undoubtedly brings numerous advantages, it also entails the pressure to remain relevant, the anxiety of needing to stay connected with fans, and the erosion of personal freedom and privacy that accompanies being a public figure — all of which can be incredibly draining. When you factor in a busy schedule filled with events that deprives artists of time to relax and socialize, fame can begin to appear as much a liability as it is a privilege.

Conversely, those striving to break into the mainstream face the daunting challenge of an uphill battle, coupled with the unsettling possibility that, despite their efforts, there may not be a reward at the end of their journey.

This underscores the importance of mental health, wellness, and the feeling of being part of a community, which are essential for all creators to prioritize. The Homies DAO is dedicated to addressing these needs.

In Episode 17 of The Agenda podcast, hosts Ray Salmond and Jonathan DeYoung converse with singer and The Homies DAO founder Iman Europe about how the collective leverages Web3 to unite artists with a focus on wellbeing.

A supportive environment for artists to unwind, relax, and connect

During the discussion, Europe elaborated on the isolation that often accompanies a music career and the challenges of maintaining social ties, especially when it feels like family members are frequently seeking financial support and acquaintances may have ulterior motives linked to their newfound friendship with a famous individual.

“I know many artists felt extremely burnt out last year and struggled to find their balance, often because everything was progressing so rapidly in Web3,” she stated. “I recognized the necessity for wellness in this space, and I was also in need of it. I was balancing my role as an artist with my position as head of artist relations at Sound.xyz, which was overwhelming. Both were full-time commitments, and I wasn’t dedicating enough time to my own wellness, and I noticed the repercussions of that.”

pro tip: dedicate the first hour of your day to yourself. unplug, and engage in activities that solely benefit you. whether it’s exercising, cleaning, reading, meditating, or praying—anything for your own well-being. wake up an hour earlier if necessary. because prioritizing your care makes it significantly easier to support others.

— iman, the icon. (@ImanEurope) October 24, 2022

This realization led Europe to establish The Homies DAO. “By the end of the year, I was determined to concentrate on wellness this year and to give that back to myself while also creating opportunities for artists to do the same.”

When inquired about the types of wellness and community initiatives available to Homies DAO members, Europe indicated that the decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) offers a secure environment and community where creators in the music sector can socialize, relax, meditate, exercise, and participate in activities that foster a sense of belonging.

“We’re hosting our inaugural event at the end of this month, the Homies Hangout, featuring various wellness activities. We’ll begin with physical wellness — starting with exercise, cycling, and spinning. This will take place at Burn Cycling. After that, we’ll take a break and return for a sound bath, which focuses on spiritual wellness. Following that, we’ll engage in affirmations, and we’ll have a facilitator lead a group therapy session where we can all discuss mental wellness and explore different resources for improvement.”

Regarding the DAO’s future initiatives, Europe stated, “We plan to organize several activities like monthly meetups, both in-person and online, where we can check in with one another and create a space for that,” adding:

“We also intend to develop educational content and create various materials to onboard more individuals into the community. We aim to create and mint projects through our DAO with the artists, potentially centered around wellness. Ultimately, we hope to expand to offline retreats for artists and artist residencies.”

The Homies prioritizes people over profit

Similar to a few other crypto and Web3-oriented DAOs, The Homies DAO possesses a nonfungible token (NFT) collection, granting holders membership and various additional benefits. Typically, projects with tokens or NFTs must navigate the challenges posed by price speculators and NFT investors who do not contribute to the project.

On this topic, Europe remarked, “I didn’t want this to be speculative. I aimed to cultivate a community. The membership is limited; I believe we will only have 500 members in total at this time.”

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When asked why she is not currently focused on floor prices, expanding the collective, or partnering with established projects, Europe responded:

“We’ll only have 500 members because we genuinely want to know one another, and we are committed to building a community, not merely a project. I think that’s what distinguishes a DAO from a project; the goal is to involve as many people as possible. However, when we consider wellness, it is an intimate matter. Sometimes, when the focus shifts to clout or speculation, it diminishes its authenticity and undermines our ability to achieve our wellness objectives.”

To learn more from Iman Europe’s discussion with The Agenda — including insights on significant future plans for The Homies DAO — listen to the complete episode on Cointelegraph’s Podcasts page, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Additionally, be sure to explore Cointelegraph’s extensive array of other shows!

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This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.