I don’t go to many parties, but I was hardly going to turn down an invitation to the one thrown by pop superstar Olivia Rodrigo.
I know what you’re thinking… a “grown man” whose idea of cool becomes Lego For Christmasalong with the superfans of one of music’s hottest properties.
Bad idea, right?
Luckily, this particular party didn’t even require me to leave the house, let alone get dressed, have drinks, and dance the night away with strangers.
Instead, it’s the latest example of a music icon making his presence felt in the world. metaverse – an online space that purists believe will one day see us all socialize and attend events as 3D avatars.
“Hey guys, it’s Olivia!” »
RodrigueThe house party takes place in Roblox. It is above all a game platform, extremely popular with children, where players can create their own world and hang out.
For many fans, it’s like an after-school digital club.
But with more than 200 million users, for Rodrigo, Grammy nominee it’s an opportunity to engage a fan base far larger than any of the concert halls she plays could contain.
“Hey guys, it’s Olivia,” the 20-year-old said when I arrived.
“Welcome to my house party on Roblox!”
From there, I’m invited to purchase items for my incredibly realistic avatar, inspired by Rodrigo’s favorite music videos, before spending time in his sound studio listening to tracks from his latest album, Guts.
For someone who grew up with a younger sister who, unfortunately, had access to a karaoke machine, this certainly captures the vibe of a teenage girl’s bedroom.
As I explore the house, I encounter not only a virtual Olivia, but other players, each searching each room for hidden Easter eggs referencing songs and other parts of Rodrigo’s zeitgeist.
Learn more:
Race to the Metaverse: Fight to shape the future of the Internet
Meet people where they are
According to Roblox music manager Karibi Dagogo-Jack, everything was “explicitly approved” by Rodrigo herself.
“It’s about trying to meet people where they are,” he says of why stars like her are interested in it.
“There are 70 million people on Roblox who spend a ton of time here every day, up to three hours a day.
“Any sensible talent would think about how to reach the fans in attendance.”
For the Disney actress turned pop star, it’s a place where fans can “get together, hang out, have fun and be themselves”, chatting mostly using emotes and acronyms that I didn’t understand.
The whole thing made me feel pretty old, appreciating for the first time how it must have felt for my mother when I told her that “lol” didn’t mean “lots of love” (what a mourning text that is). ‘was).
But it’s a really big deal. The team behind the party house, Sawhorse Productions, has previously worked on experiences within Roblox for stars like Mr Elton John.
It’s fair to say that the 76-year-old isn’t exactly a Roblox generation man, but his digital space – complete with a yellow brick road – could help him attract a new wave of fans.
It helps that her signature outfits make for great avatar dress-up opportunities.
Digital vs. physical
Others who have made their way to Roblox are Nicki Minaj and 77 years old Dearwho had a Christmas-themed experience.
Like Sir Elton, his label Warner Records said it would “expose him to a new generation of fans”.
Dagogo-Jack says they make the world’s biggest stars “more accessible” to a generation that increasingly values the digital world as much as the physical world.
“For a younger audience, the hierarchy doesn’t exist as much in terms of digital space versus physical space,” he says.
“If they go to an Olivia concert, they don’t put that enjoyment at a lower level than they have in digital environments.”
Accessibility is a big part of the appeal for artists and fans, and that’s reflected elsewhere as well.
The weekend recently hosted a live music experience indoors Fortniteon the tracks of Travis Scott And Ariana Grandewhich helped this game attract a record number of players.
And let’s not forget that one of the most popular tickets in London is the Abba Voyage Showswhich sees digitized avatars resembling the Swedish pop group performing on a physical stage.
Others are following suit on this front, including Kiss.
Whether it’s immortalizing aging rockers in the real world or entering the metaverse, it’s clear that many artists are taking these technologies seriously as a way to engage their fans – and create new ones. new.
Just as streaming services made their music accessible at the touch of a button, perhaps avatars could make the stars themselves just as available.
I don’t go to many parties, but I was hardly going to turn down an invitation to the one thrown by pop superstar Olivia Rodrigo.
I know what you’re thinking… a “grown man” whose idea of cool becomes Lego For Christmasalong with the superfans of one of music’s hottest properties.
Bad idea, right?
Luckily, this particular party didn’t even require me to leave the house, let alone get dressed, have drinks, and dance the night away with strangers.
Instead, it’s the latest example of a music icon making his presence felt in the world. metaverse – an online space that purists believe will one day see us all socialize and attend events as 3D avatars.
“Hey guys, it’s Olivia!” »
RodrigueThe house party takes place in Roblox. It is above all a game platform, extremely popular with children, where players can create their own world and hang out.
For many fans, it’s like an after-school digital club.
But with more than 200 million users, for Rodrigo, Grammy nominee it’s an opportunity to engage a fan base far larger than any of the concert halls she plays could contain.
“Hey guys, it’s Olivia,” the 20-year-old said when I arrived.
“Welcome to my house party on Roblox!”
From there, I’m invited to purchase items for my incredibly realistic avatar, inspired by Rodrigo’s favorite music videos, before spending time in his sound studio listening to tracks from his latest album, Guts.
For someone who grew up with a younger sister who, unfortunately, had access to a karaoke machine, this certainly captures the vibe of a teenage girl’s bedroom.
As I explore the house, I encounter not only a virtual Olivia, but other players, each searching each room for hidden Easter eggs referencing songs and other parts of Rodrigo’s zeitgeist.
Learn more:
Race to the Metaverse: Fight to shape the future of the Internet
Meet people where they are
According to Roblox music manager Karibi Dagogo-Jack, everything was “explicitly approved” by Rodrigo herself.
“It’s about trying to meet people where they are,” he says of why stars like her are interested in it.
“There are 70 million people on Roblox who spend a ton of time here every day, up to three hours a day.
“Any sensible talent would think about how to reach the fans in attendance.”
For the Disney actress turned pop star, it’s a place where fans can “get together, hang out, have fun and be themselves”, chatting mostly using emotes and acronyms that I didn’t understand.
The whole thing made me feel pretty old, appreciating for the first time how it must have felt for my mother when I told her that “lol” didn’t mean “lots of love” (what a mourning text that is). ‘was).
But it’s a really big deal. The team behind the party house, Sawhorse Productions, has previously worked on experiences within Roblox for stars like Mr Elton John.
It’s fair to say that the 76-year-old isn’t exactly a Roblox generation man, but his digital space – complete with a yellow brick road – could help him attract a new wave of fans.
It helps that her signature outfits make for great avatar dress-up opportunities.
Digital vs. physical
Others who have made their way to Roblox are Nicki Minaj and 77 years old Dearwho had a Christmas-themed experience.
Like Sir Elton, his label Warner Records said it would “expose him to a new generation of fans”.
Dagogo-Jack says they make the world’s biggest stars “more accessible” to a generation that increasingly values the digital world as much as the physical world.
“For a younger audience, the hierarchy doesn’t exist as much in terms of digital space versus physical space,” he says.
“If they go to an Olivia concert, they don’t put that enjoyment at a lower level than they have in digital environments.”
Accessibility is a big part of the appeal for artists and fans, and that’s reflected elsewhere as well.
The weekend recently hosted a live music experience indoors Fortniteon the tracks of Travis Scott And Ariana Grandewhich helped this game attract a record number of players.
And let’s not forget that one of the most popular tickets in London is the Abba Voyage Showswhich sees digitized avatars resembling the Swedish pop group performing on a physical stage.
Others are following suit on this front, including Kiss.
Whether it’s immortalizing aging rockers in the real world or entering the metaverse, it’s clear that many artists are taking these technologies seriously as a way to engage their fans – and create new ones. new.
Just as streaming services made their music accessible at the touch of a button, perhaps avatars could make the stars themselves just as available.