Backstreet Boys and Westlife collaboration breaks livestream records on WeChat

28 June 2022 - Press release

- Broadcast last Friday (June 24th), a free livestream performance by Backstreet Boys, recorded at Rock Lititz Studio, Pennsylvania, was watched by a record-breaking 45m Chinese viewers via Tencent's WeChat app. 

-  Sponsored by Lincoln and produced by 24/7 Productions, it was the highest-attended livestream concert on WeChat by an international artist. Reaching 10m viewers within half an hour, more than 25.5m cheers were received during the performance.

- The two-hour show incorporated a special guest appearance from Westlife, broadcast from Smock Alley in Dublin. Directed by Chris Howe and produced by Driift, it enabled the two bands to duet on the Backstreet Boys' hit I Want It That Way and Westlife's My Love. 

- It marks the second time Chris and Driift have collaborated with Westlife and their management for a WeChat livestream. The band's previous show, which took place in December 2021, attracted 28m viewers. On both occasions, the performances were filmed specifically for viewing and consumption on mobile devices. 

- Following Friday's show, #MyLove was the number one trending topic in China. 

- See a clip from Westlife's official Twitter account here.

Sasha Duncan, Head of Production, Driift said: 
It's been a real joy to work with Westlife again as part of such an extraordinarily successful collaboration. Achieving this level of engagement in China is unprecedented for international artists, and also highlights the versatility of the livestream format. Whether it's a high-end cinematic production or a performance like this, tailored for viewing on mobile devices, we're proving it's possible to forge a genuine connection with online audiences."