2022 saw the large-scale return of in-person events, but the rise of virtual experiences during the pandemic continues to impact the industry and will be an important additional avenue for artists to connect with fans moving forward — from interactive experiences on platforms like Roblox, to broadcasts on social media platforms, to full-blown VR concert tours.
The first big name virtual performance of 2023 will be DJ-Producer Calvin Harris, who is hosting an immersive concert on TikTok LIVE, which has previously streamed performances by stars such as Camila Cabello. The Calvin Harris Experience will premiere on Friday, January 13th at 8pm GMT (3pm EST) from the artist’s TikTok account (@calvinharris) and is being produced in partnership with Wave. The platforms previously collaborated on The Weeknd Experience back in 2020.
According to TikTok, the experience will take place against the backdrop of a nature inspired virtual world and will feature Calvin Harris performing as a virtual avatar, as well as audio reactive visuals. The concert will also be broadcast on VR platform PICO, which TikTok owner ByteDance acquired in 2021. The company also noted that this will be the first in a series of upcoming immersive 3D concert experiences on PICO.
"It's an honour to host Calvin Harris' first ever virtual concert, which will push the boundaries of what is possible for artists going LIVE on TikTok and PICO,” said Paul Hourican, Global Head of Music Operations at TikTok. “We've loved working with Calvin, Mark and the whole team as well as Wave and PICO to create this experience, which is going to be a special moment for the global TikTok community."
Wave CEO Adam Arrigo added: “We are excited to work with a forward-thinking artist like Calvin Harris to bring his fans a one-of-a-kind virtual concert experience. We are also thrilled to be partnering with TikTok again to showcase what the future of virtual entertainment experiences can be".
For fans who miss the premiere, the experience will be rebroadcast on TikTok on Tuesday, January 17th at 11am GMT (6am EST).