The past 24 hours have been pretty eventful forΒ The WeekndΒ fans.
Just hours after sharingΒ his posthumous collaboration withΒ Juice WLRD, the XO singer-songwriterΒ came through withΒ The Weeknd Experience, an interactive virtual concert presented byΒ TikTok.Β
The event went live on Friday withΒ 3D renderings, picture-in-picture video, and The WeekndΒ in avatar form as he took the audience "on an epic After Hours journey." The experience also introduces hashtag challenges and trippy creative effects. Wave, the brainsΒ behind the event and a market leader in interactive virtual entertainment experiences of its kind, created it to encompass a unique at-home experience. The WeekndΒ was especially ideal for this launch given his status as Spotify's most listened-to artist and hisΒ After HoursΒ opus, which became the most-streamed R&B album in history.Β
Under its charitable hat, The Weeknd Experience is also raising funds for theΒ Equal Justice Initiative, which aimsΒ to end mass incarceration and excessive punishment at the national level, among other racial and economic justice goals. TikTok will match those funds at a generous amount as well, and fans are able to donate to the organization within the app. They can also purchase exclusive merchΒ inspired by the experience (at limited availability from August 6 through August 10), as proceeds will be forwarded to EJI.Β
In addition to the cuts he performed fromΒ After Hours,Β The WeekndΒ also gifted viewers with an exclusive music premiere in a surprise move.Β
According toΒ Chart Data, the app also crashed when fans were given the opportunity to vote on having theΒ virtual WeekndΒ lick a frog.
A one-of-a-kind experience indeed. You can check out the full replay of the event up top.
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