On August 7 at 8:30 p.m. ET, TikTok will host a live virtual concert by The Weeknd, where he will perform a series of songs from his latest album, After hours, the social network announced today. Instead of appearing in person as a typical TikTok video or its previous live music events streamed, The Weeknd will be represented by a digital avatar in what TikTok calls its “first cross-reality experience on the app.” He says viewers will be able to interact with the singer while performing.
The event is just the latest example of renowned musicians playing virtually. FortniteRecent events such as Travis Scott earlier this year or the 2019 Marshmello concert are two of the most high-profile examples, each drawing tens of millions of viewers who participated live in the game or following the services of streaming like Twitch.
TikTok has partnered with Wave for the concert, which previously brought together virtual performances with artists such as John Legend and Lindsey Stirling. On recordings of these past concerts, you can sometimes see a video feed of the artist wearing a cap suit at the bottom right of the screen, showing his performance in the real world translated into a virtual one. However, it is unclear whether TikTok is intended to provide a similar behind-the-scenes look at The Weeknd’s performance.
TikTok says The Weeknd program will also raise money for the Fair Justice Initiative, a charity that works to support racial equality. Users will be able to make donations through the TikTok app, and the social network says it plans to match donations with an unnamed “generous amount”. Merchandise will also be available for sale, and proceeds will be donated to charities.
You can confirm your attendance for the show here.
Update July 30, 11:14 am ET: Updated to note that TikTok is using the concert to raise funds for the Fair Justice Initiative.
