In a music industry long dominated by gatekeepers, Italian singer-songwriter Violetta Zironi is forging a new path, powered not by labels but by blockchain. From early fame on X-Factor Italy to becoming a pioneer in the Web3 music space, Zironi’s story reveals how music NFTs and decentralized ownership are opening doors for independent artists.
From Major Label Deal to Disillusionment
Zironi burst onto the scene at just 18, finishing third on X-Factor Italy in 2013. The next day, she signed a five-album deal with Sony Music. However, the dream quickly turned sour. Without legal guidance, she agreed to a contract that gave her only 5 percent ownership of her music and half the revenue, with no upfront payment.
Although she completed a full album, Sony shelved it. “Six months after I delivered it, they told me attention had shifted to the next X-Factor season,” she said. That breach allowed her to exit the deal after 18 months, but the experience left her determined to find a more empowering path.
Web3 Offers a New Model for Musicians
By late 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic had halted tours and stalled momentum. After pouring her savings into an EP titled Moonshot, Zironi was on the verge of quitting music. But a suggestion from her mother, inspired by Snoop Dogg’s success with music NFTs, changed everything.
“She said, ‘Before you give up, check this out. People are collecting music like it’s art,’” Zironi recalled. That insight led her to mint her first music NFT in January 2022—an acoustic version of Gypsy Heart, which sold out immediately.
Selling Out on Ethereum and Making Music History on Bitcoin
In April 2022, Zironi launched her first full NFT project: the Moonshot EP, featuring illustrations by her father, a renowned Disney concept artist. The project generated over 340 ETH in secondary sales, marking an unprecedented milestone for music NFTs.
The momentum continued. In January 2023, she released Another Life, a 5,200-piece NFT collection, even as crypto markets struggled. Later that year, she became the first artist to inscribe a full audio-visual song, 10 Years, onto the Bitcoin blockchain using Ordinals. Then in October 2024, she sold a one-of-one song NFT, n0 0rdinary kind, for 1 BTC, which was worth about $60,000 at the time.
From signing away her masters to commanding major sales directly from fans, Zironi had completely transformed her career.
Cultural Shifts Still Needed for Music NFTs to Thrive
Despite her success, Zironi acknowledges that the broader Web3 music movement is still in its early stages. “It’s a culture shift,” she said. “Artists don’t yet realize they can build careers outside the traditional system.”
Streaming has changed how people relate to music, as ownership has been replaced by access. That makes NFTs harder to grasp compared to visual art, where collecting remains a familiar concept.
She also points out that most platforms still fail to offer a satisfying listening experience. One exception is Parrot Radio, a Web3 player that allows users to stream music from their own wallets or others’. “It’s like walking into someone’s vinyl room online,” Zironi said. “That’s the future.”
A Web3 Future Led by Independent Artists
Violetta Zironi’s journey is more than a comeback. It is a blueprint for the future of music. By embracing blockchain and NFTs, she is proving that artists can thrive without middlemen, connect directly with fans, and truly own their work.
Her story serves as a powerful reminder. The next era of music will not only be streamed but also owned, collected, and shaped by the artists themselves.
