This past weekend has been an eventful one. With recent sharings of collabs with Juice WRLD for the track Smile. The Weeknd singer-songwriter came through with The Weeknd Experience for fans, an interactive virtual concert presented by TikTok.
The event went live on Friday with 3D renderings, picture-in-picture video, and The Weeknd in avatar form as he took the audience “on an epic After Hours journey.” The 20-minute performance featured virtual renditions of “Pray for Me,” “Blinding Lights,” “Save Your Tears,” the remix of “In Your Eyes” complete with a cameo by Doja Cat as her cat avatar and, at the seven-minute mark, a minute-long snippet of an unreleased song.
The experience also introduces hashtag challenges and trippy creative effects. The Weeknd was especially ideal for this launch given his status as Spotify’s most listened-to artist and his After Hours opus, which became the most-streamed R&B album in history.
Raising funds for the Equal Justice Initiative. Which lead aim is to end the mass amount of incarceration and excessive punishment at the national level. Among other racial and economic justice goals.
TikTok will match those funds at a great amount as well. And fans can donate to the organization within the app. They are also able to purchase exclusive merch inspired by the experience (at limited availability from August 6 through August 10). As proceeds will be forwarded to EJI.
In addition to the songs he performed from After Hours, The Weeknd also gifted viewers with an exclusive music premiere in a surprise move.
Watch the concert below.
https://youtu.be/YZOHNuw_gdQ
