The metaverse is in the process of shaking up the entertainment industry and by the end of 2022, Matt Pokora, the artist with millions of albums sold and spectacular stage shows, will bring a unique experience to his fans, by playing a digital show in the presence of his avatar "MP7." His next tour will combine concerts in physical presence and virtual shows, the "MP7 transition" to the metaverse. SECUTIX, approached by the French company Metalive, is taking part in this revolution.
Reinventing the link between the artist and their fans
For all those, and there are still many, for whom the metaverse belongs to the world of science fiction, an explanation is offered here.
Not so long ago, before the arrival of streaming platforms, the release of an album was accompanied by a ritual that seemed unchanging. The artist began their promotional tours accompanied by signing sessions, which were all opportunities to meet with the public. And as soon as the album was released, fans rushed to the record stores to physically buy the item.
All of this seems to be over today, as Spotify, Apple and others Deezer have revolutionised and transformed the way we consume music. The emotional bond between the artist and their fans has gradually been deconstructed. The idea is therefore to reinvent, to reconstruct this relationship, in a world that has changed and digitised and where the world of the artist counts as much as their songs.
Matt Pokora, who will celebrate 20 years of his career next year and who draws millions of followers on social networks and several hundred thousand fans, turned to the French company Metalive to offer for his 2023 tour, in France, Belgium and Switzerland in particular, a mix between physical and metaverse concerts, the latter virtual 3D universe being very popular with the youngest audiences for its strong interactive and social dimension.
Your avatar enters onstage
On hand to enter this immersive world is the French company Metalive, which will set up many interactive virtual shows in the metaverse. To attend the show, fans will be able to connect to the virtual universe imagined and fantasised about by Matt Pokora via a simple URL, with their PC, their games console or their smartphone. The first 10,000 fans will have the opportunity to discover this new immersive show format next autumn, at the intersection between video games, video clips and immersive musical performance. From home, users will be able to create, in their own image, their own avatar, and explore different 3D universes, chat with other users or actively accompany Matt Pokora's double digital "MP7" in his quest, and will even be able to interact with him live.
Matt Pokora fans will be able to benefit from exclusive bonuses: access to rehearsals, meeting the artist, access to the virtual show, collector hologram or even acquire a unique "non-fungible token" among a limited edition of 10,000 copies. To attest to their uniqueness and authenticity, NFTs are registered on the blockchain, a kind of immutable and inviolable ledger, which keeps track of all the elements registered and allows exchanges and resales in complete safety. NFTs, already very present in the field of sport, are also entering the music sector.
Restoring power to artists by reinventing ticket sales
The online ticketing system is also undergoing a revolution. Today, digital technology allows a direct link between the artist and their audience. Thus, the distribution of Matt Pokora's tickets will be carried out, initially and exclusively, directly by the artist, thus proposing a new marketing model.
This is where SECUTIX comes in, with its applications dedicated to the Entertainment sector. Based on a ticketing engine, capable of managing different combinations of products for all the concerts of the Epicentre tour, more than 30 rooms and dates, the producer designed a range of offers. Combined with the TIXNGO mobile app that secures tickets via the blockchain, the fan will benefit from a real mobile companion. They will be able to access physical concerts, which continue to stir emotions shared between fans, but also virtual events. The application allows the artist to know their audience better, to be able to communicate with each fan present at their shows and, also to protect themselves from the pitfalls of the ticket resale market by having control of their tickets at all times, whose dynamic QR code will only appear at the last minute to counter any possibility of resale of tickets by a simple screenshot.
Matt Pokora's tour marks a first. Never before has this type of show been played in Europe. It will no doubt become the norm in the next decade.
Christian Binelli
