Backstreet Boys and Westlife collaboration breaks livestream records on WeChat 28 Jun 2022
- 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."
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THE HEADLINES
Robert Kyncl on Udio deal: Growing the value of music for artists and songwriters (see News)
Ticket touts’ worst nightmare has finally come true (see Comment)
Universal's bid for Downtown is set to be hit by a formal warning from European Union watchdogs (see Business)
Reselling tickets for profit to be outlawed in UK government crackdown (see News)
Some answers to Haven's 'I Run' chart-excluded track (see News)
"Without competition, the free market becomes a monopoly" (see Opinion)
What are pop-up shows teaching us about building fandom in 2025? (see Analysis)
How much AI will audiences accept in music and movies? (see Analysis)
Stars urge Kier Starmer to tackle ‘pernicious’ ticket tout websites (see News)
Report reveals UK music industry contributes record £8bn to UK economy. (see Reports)
Deezer publishes survey on AI music (see Reports)
Songs are going viral faster than ever — but fewer are becoming streaming hits (see Analysis)
The music we should save is the music AI needs the most (see Comment)
The Council Of Music Makers: Put music-makers first in AI deals (see News)