Latin artist J Balvin hosted a live TikTok concert on Sunday, JOSE X TikTok, to promote his new album Jose, which was released last week. The hour-long stream was professionally produced and included songs from the album as well as some of his classic hits.
TikTok has recently been bolsterings its livestream offerings to compete with similar features on platforms like Facebook and Twitch — for example, it added co-streaming and Q&A capabilities earlier this summer — and the video platform has now reportedly overtaken YouTube in average watch time in the US and the UK.
While new platforms like Mandolin and Flymachine have been brought to market over the past year to enable artists to livestream shows and performances, social media remains an important tool through which artists can connect with fans in a more informal way.
Platforms like TikTok create a different kind of experience as fans engage with and post content 24/7. Artists can then continue to foster the communities that exist on the platforms through livestream concerts, Q&As, etc.
"I love TikTok and seeing all of the amazing things that my fans are doing with my music as a soundtrack," J Balvin said in a statement announcing the concert. "It feels spontaneous and interactive in a way I haven't felt with fans in a long time. I get inspired when I open up TikTok to see what they're doing, and it encourages me to find new ways to present my music and keep things fresh!"
Balvin, like other artists, is also looking to gaming platforms to engage with fans. He participated in Fortnite’s Fortnitemares Halloween event last year with an in-game concert, and last month, he joined Fortnite’s Icon Series. Fortnite players can now purchase J Balvin-themed skins and items, as well as an emote, which is a short dance that characters can do that includes Balvin’s music in the background.
The game also hosted the J Balvin Cup, a tournament that took place before the official release of the items where players could compete for a chance to win them. Players could also participate in a J-Balvin inspired experience that was available for two weeks following the launch.
Avenues for fan engagement have never been more prevalent and are giving artists the opportunity to build their communities on a variety of platforms and diversify their revenue streams. Fans are loving the increased options to engage with their favorite artists, even as in-person events resume, and the added benefit to artists means that digital experiences like these will only continue to accelerate in the future.