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Violetta Zironi, a 30-year-old Italian singer-songwriter, might just be the poster child for Web3 music. Her path as a musician shot out of the gates at the age of 18, when she finished third on the popular reality TV show, X-Factor Italy in 2013.
Since her TV stardom, Zironi ditched a music label deal with Sony Records that she felt took advantage of her and now mints her songs on the blockchain.
In a little over three years, Zironi has built and cultivated a community of fans who see value in owning her music as NFTs. Now based in Nashville, Tennessee, she recently sold a 1 of 1 song titled “n0 0rdinary kind” for 1 Bitcoin ($60,000 at the time) as an Ordinal, and has amassed over $2.5 million in revenue through her music NFTs, including her debut collection “Moonshot” on Ethereum where the artwork was done by her father, a renowned Disney visual artist.
Zironi has been surprised about how her new path has been perceived. “It’s kind of weird, I must say, that Bitcoin and the blockchain are so taboo. Most recently there’s been some artists selling pictures on OnlyFans to fund their tours and stuff,” she says.
“This artist Kate Nash is using OnlyFans, and the whole music community is supporting that, but the moment you use Bitcoin, it’s like, ‘whoa’. Crypto is more taboo than OnlyFans. It’s crazy, but I like that.”
Violetta Zironi’s life at X-Factor and Sony Music
Zironi’s career launched in 2013 on X-Factor Italy, a moment she describes as both thrilling and eye-opening. Still in high school and only 18 years old, she was suddenly propelled into the professional music industry with minimal guidance.
“Literally the day after the X-Factor final, I was invited to the Sony Music offices in Milan. They offered me a five-album deal on the spot. I thought I was getting so lucky, so I just signed it,” says Zironi.
Without legal advice or family present, Zironi entered a contract she quickly came to regret. The deal gave her only 5% ownership of her music and 50% of any income, without any advance payment.
“I tried to make the best of it. I made a record that year and pushed to use my own producer and my own songs. They wanted me to sing tracks written by their team, but I was already defiant.”
Her insistence on creative control clashed with the label and she soon learned how fleeting attention can be in the world of reality TV and major labels. Despite completing an album, Sony chose not to release it.
“Six months after I delivered the album, they told me the new X-Factor season was starting and attention had shifted. That was my way out of the contract. They were obligated to release something and they didn’t. I got pretty lucky to be out within a year and a half.”
The experience left her disillusioned with the traditional music industry but it also planted the seeds that would eventually lead her to explore an alternative path through NFTs and Web3.
Discovery of an alternate path thanks to mom and Snoop Dogg
In the back half of 2021, Zironi was at a crossroads and frustrated by the traditional music industry, especially after COVID-19 upended live shows. She had just poured her savings into producing Moonshot, a five-track EP that felt like her final shot. The grind of streaming platforms and the constant chase for virality left her pondering whether a career in music was worthwhile.
Then, a conversation with her mom changed everything, Zironi recalls.
“Honestly, I owe it all to my mom. She asked if I’d heard about Snoop Dogg doing music NFTs and said, ‘Before you throw in the towel, look into this. People are collecting music like it’s art.’ That really hit me. I always felt like music was undervalued,” she says.
The idea that music could be collected like visual art resonated deeply. That moment sparked her interest in blockchain and music NFTs, even though she had no experience with Ethereum or crypto in general.
“I put as much effort into a song as a painter does a painting. Why can’t I set the price and build a community, too?”
In January 2022, she minted her first NFT, an acoustic version of her song Gypsy Heart. “They sold out almost immediately, it was wild,” she says.
That initial success launched a new chapter in Zironi’s career. Since then, she’s sold nearly 10,000 music NFTs. Her Moonshot collection, minted on April 16, 2022, became a defining project, generating over 340 ETH in secondary sales, an enormous figure for a music NFT collection.
Zironi’s success as a trailblazing NFT music artist continued. In January 2023, she released Another Life, a 5,200-piece collection during the depths of a bear market. Later that year, she became the first artist to inscribe a full song and visual file on Bitcoin with “10 Years.” In October 2024, she made headlines again, selling a 1-of-1 music NFT, “n0 0rdinary kind” for one Bitcoin.
That single conversation with her mom set Zironi on a path to becoming the leading independent singer-songwriter in the NFT music space.
What Web3 music is currently missing
Despite individual success stories, music NFTs are still searching for their breakout moment and Zironi believes it comes down to mindset and culture.
“It’s a culture shift. The shift hasn’t happened in the creators’ minds yet. Artists need to realize they can do it their own way,” says Zironi.
The 30-year-old points out that industries like music, sports, and film are deeply entrenched in monopolized structures, which makes it hard for creators to envision success outside the traditional system. “A lot of the people working in the industry do depend on that industry, or at least they think they do.”
Unlike traditional art and now digital art, where collectors are used to collecting and owning unique pieces, music consumption has moved away from ownership altogether.
“Nobody owns music anymore, we just stream it. That makes the transition to NFTs less intuitive.”
Beyond the culture gap, Zironi sees practical barriers.
“There’s no great way to preview or listen to the music,” she says. “We’re still missing user-friendly infrastructure that feels natural for regular music fans.”
One exception that Zironi did shout out is Parrot Radio, a Web3 music player that allows users to listen to NFT music collections that they must own or only listen from the wallet of someone who owns the music.
“It’s like an oncyber gallery for music. You can step into someone’s digital house and flip through their vinyl. That’s the kind of experience we need more of.”
Rapid fire Q&A with Violetta Zironi
What are your top 3 NFTs in your wallet as a collector?
1 —Matt Belmont Genesis NFT — I know I’m super biased, but I specifically love it when I get to buy a song that’s not anywhere in the world. I remember loving buying a music NFT from my friend Matt Belmont. It was his Genesis NFT and it was such a beautiful song.
2 — Taproot Wizard — I have a Taproot Wizard so I kind of want to brag about that.
3 — Ordinal by Harto — I’m a big fan of his art, it’s amazing.
When did you buy your first crypto?
Early 2022. I bought some Ethereum so I could buy a rugpull NFT. It was a derivative between a Doodle and CryptoMorie. I remember spending half of my rent on it. I didn’t have an expensive rent, but at the time for me, it was a lot but I really wanted to learn how to buy an NFT and feel the experience.
Who are some of your favorite digital artists?
Harto — Definitely one of my favorites. I just love his textures and it’s generative art. It’s very relatable to me. I know it sounds like blasphemy or whatever, but I like his art more than Fidenzas, I just feel more connected to them.
Beeple — I’m a big fan of Beeple. Honestly, I don’t even own any Beeple, but I’m a big fan of his character and his art. I think he’s a great poster person for this space.
Sam Spratt — I own a mask from Sam Spratt. That was a great experience actually from the Masquerade because I wrote a song as my commentary for the Masquerade game. He created a mask for me with guitar strings and was inspired by my songs.
Who are some music NFT artists readers should follow and check out?
Iman Europe — I’m a big fan of Iman Europe, ever since the beginning, she’s been inspiring to me. Extremely talented, and she does great music videos that she mints on the blockchain. She’s doing a lot outside of Web3 as well which I think is really important for an artist.
Emma Miller — Emma is a favorite. She’s a good friend of mine. Every time I hear her singing, she makes me cry.
What are your thoughts about utility with NFTs?
I’m a big believer in utility. I love delivering it and I love coming up with it. It really does inspire my creativity. I know a lot of artists find it’s a burden to have to keep up with, but for me, the more I get to share with my holders, the happier I am. My community is the most precious thing I have.
Outside of yourself, who do you think are the biggest music NFT advocates right now?
Cristiano Covino — My dearest friend. The most perfect ally on this mission. We’re pretty much brother and sister even though we’re not. He is really a fighter for this cause.
Emily Lazar — I’m a huge fan. I actually saw her live in Nashville a few weeks ago. She’s a huge advocate because she has extensive experience in the traditional music industry so she really knows how much better we can do it with the blockchain.
Tony Parisi — He’s an OG. He doesn’t brag about it whatsoever, but he basically invented the metaverse in the 90s. He wrote the first code for 3D graphics on a browser ever and worked on the creation of GLTF file standards and VRML. He really is one of the first technologists ever, and now he is a music NFT artist full time and huge advocate because he’s been at the forefront of emerging technologies for so long and has seen it all.
What would your advice be to other musicians who are thinking about potentially following a similar route to yourself?
Free yourself. Go back to what you really want. There is nothing that you can’t do. Single out the thing you love doing and figure out a way to do that all the time in a sustainable way because you’re going to have to do it for a long time. Be generous with the people that love you, love them back, love your community, love the people that love your music, and show them.
Greg Oakford
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