Pop singers are turning to OnlyFans as a creative and lucrative way to connect with fans and generate income beyond traditional music platforms.

To raise money for her upcoming tour, singer Kate Nash is selling pictures of her backside on the adult site OnlyFans. She called it “empowering… fun [and] funny,” and told critics to “kiss my ass (for a price, of course),” according to The Telegraph.

OnlyFans, started in 2016 by Tim Stokely and his father Guy from Essex, is a subscription-based social media platform. Users pay between $5 and $50 monthly to view content. Although it features diverse creators, much of the content is explicit.The site has over four million creators.

Discussing her decision to join OnlyFans, Nash explained, “I need extra income to take the stress out of [touring],” adding that her goal was to fairly compensate her talented band and dedicated crew while still providing high-quality shows for her fans. “I like flashing my ass, and I know a few people that run their own successful adult film companies or work on OnlyFans,” she shared candidly.

Since its inception, OnlyFans has paid out over $15 billion to creators, with some, like Dannii Harwood, managing to earn their first million within just a single year.

Nash is certainly not alone in exploring the potential of this unique platform. Other musicians, including the well-known singer Lily Allen and popular rappers Cardi B and Iggy Azalea, have also utilized OnlyFans for various non-explicit ventures outside of traditional music distribution. For instance, Allen, who is now 39 years old, shares an array of photos featuring her feet under the creative username @lilyallenFTSE500 for a fee of £8 (approximately ₹830) per month. She has stated that this venture is proving to be substantially more profitable for her compared to traditional streaming services, which often compensate artists at a meager rate of just $0.003 to $0.005 for each play.

“OnlyFans has always been a platform for creators from all genres, including musicians,” remarked a spokesperson. “It provides remarkable opportunities for artists to grow their presence, engage meaningfully with fans, and earn substantial revenue independently, away from the often restrictive constraints of the traditional music industry.”

Despite its controversial reputation for hosting adult content, the platform has flourished, reporting revenues of $1.3 billion for the year ending November 2023—a 20% increase from the previous year. CEO Keily Blair emphasized that OnlyFans is not solely a pornographic website, noting that creators often post varied content, such as yoga videos, alongside more explicit offerings.

“I spend about two hours daily chatting with fans and also dedicate additional time to meticulously editing my content,”

Tim Stokely, who founded OnlyFans after experimenting with ventures like a porn website called Customs4U, described the platform’s concept in a 2021 interview. “The idea was to create a platform similar to social media but with a payment button,” he said. Initially embraced by sex workers, the site gained mainstream traction during the pandemic, with strip clubs closed and public figures like Bella Thorne and Cardi B joining the platform for brief periods.

For many individuals, OnlyFans has emerged as a viable and attractive alternative to traditional income sources that were once considered the norm. A former estate agent who has now transitioned to using the platform stated that subscribers tend to be notably more supportive and encouraging, especially in contrast to the often toxic presence of anonymous trolls found on various other social media platforms.

However, establishing a successful presence on OnlyFans requires significant effort and dedication. “I spend about two hours daily chatting with fans and also dedicate additional time to meticulously editing my content,” she shared, adding that promoting oneself effectively as a commodity in this competitive space demands resilience and a strong work ethic.

Since its inception, OnlyFans has paid out over $15 billion to creators, with some, like Dannii Harwood, managing to earn their first million within just a single year.

While notable artists such as Kate Nash and Lily Allen have not publicly disclosed their earnings, it is clear that the platform has proven to be immensely profitable for its owners.

In 2023, Leonid Radvinsky, who holds a significant 75% stake in the company, received an impressive $472 million dividend, while Stokely's net worth is estimated to be around $3.8 billion.