The Metaverse, July 2022. A new phase of music in the metaverse has begun, with virtual music artist and influencer Polar headlining the Solar Sounds Festival in Lockwood Publishing’s mobile simulation video game Avakin Life.
Polar exists exclusively in the digital world, as opposed to real-life artists bringing their music to the metaverse via avatars. Created by digital content pioneers TheSoul Publishing, Polar became a virtual sensation after her first single, Close To You, debuted at a three-day launch party in Avakin Life in September 2021, to a crowd of nearly one million metaverse fans.
Polar has the fast-accumulating credentials of a global icon. Combining electro-pop and future bass, Polar has captured the attention of more than 350,000 subscribers on YouTube and more than 1.5 million followers on TikTok. Her music is as on-trend as her look featuring turquoise hair and a boundary-pushing style.
Now, Polar returns to Avakin Life for the third annual Solar Sounds Festival which began on the 12th July and will close on the 28th July. Last year, the festival welcomed more than four million unique users to its dance floor, drawing about forty times as many visitors as well-known, real-world music festivals. This year, Solar Sounds Festival is set to be one of the metaverse’s biggest music events, combining complete avatar experience concerts from Polar and real-life DJ Gabry Ponte.
Polar will headline the second half of the festival from 21st - 28th July following DJ Gabry Ponte’s opening sets which run through the 20th. There will also be two exclusive listening parties where Avakins (Avakin Life avatars) can listen to tracks from Nakwon & MRCH until the 19th July and then AdELA from the 19th through the 28th.
When asked about headlining this year’s Solar Sounds Festival, Polar commented; “I love my Avakin fans, they’ve been with me right from the start and I am always super excited to be able to perform for them. What really makes them so special to me is their amazing fan videos and wonderful comments on Instagram. They motivate me to create more new music which is why I am going to be performing two new songs exclusively in Avakin Life. I’ll also share some great items from my 3D wardrobe! I can’t wait to see you all at the festival.”
Beyond the music, there are daily quests for Avakins to earn fashion, animation, and profile-related rewards as well as other community elements including the designing of a cover for the festival album due for release via Spotify after the festival.
The event also offers Avakin Life users a unique opportunity to wear Polar's clothes, her signature facemask, and change their Avakins' eyes and hairstyle to resemble the pop star. Attendees will have access to three dance routines that enable the Avakins to imitate the choreography.
Patrik Wilkens, VP of Operations at TheSoul Publishing, said, "Polar is fast becoming a Gen Z icon. Polar headlining this type of festival offers Avakins a unique experience where they can listen to their favorite music while staying immersed in the metaverse. The new offerings are a result of our learnings from our last collaboration where fans created user-generated videos asking for more opportunities to express themselves and dress like Polar. We always look for opportunities to engage with our fans and improve their experience. Her digital nature allows us to quickly give fans what they want.”
Catarina Água-Mel, Business Development and Music Manager at Lockwood Publishing, adds, “We’re delighted to welcome Polar back to Avakin Life, this time as the headliner for our Solar Sounds Festival. This year’s festival will be out of this world. We want to push the boundaries of music in the metaverse even further by offering different festival experiences than the ones lived in real life. For those Avakins wanting to go full digital luxury, we have also made available a unique VIP Festival pass which grants access to exclusive areas of the festival, prime viewing locations for both concerts, as well as being able to unlock quest-related rewards faster. We have no doubt that this year’s festival will be unforgettable and set the stage for future virtual festivals ahead.”
How to watch Polar’s performances at Solar Sounds Festival:
- Avakin Life is available on iOS and Android. To join more than 220 million Avakins simply follow this link or visit the Google Play Store or App Store and search ‘Avakin Life’.
- Create your Avakin from over 30,000 fashion pieces – including dozens of outfits from top high-street brands.
- Head to the Solar Sounds Festival experience for daily concerts, exclusive rewards, and VIP events.
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About TheSoul Publishing
TheSoulPublishing is an award-winning digital studio that produces entertaining, positive and original content for a global audience. TheSoul reaches more than one billion social followers across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Snap. Its global creative team consistently delivers engaging, cross-platform content for all ages in 20 different languages. TheSoul’s channels include 5-Minute Crafts, Bright Side, 123 GO!, Avocado Couple, La La Life, Teen-Z, Baby Zoo, Slick Slime Sam and Polar. TheSoul Publishing has won numerous awards including ‘Digital Studio of the Year’ at the 2021 Digiday Video & TV Awards, ‘Best use of Pinterest’ at the 2021 Drum Awards, and is also a 2022 Webby Honoree for ‘Best Overall Social Presence in Media/Entertainment.
For more information, visit https://www.thesoul-publishing.com.
About Lockwood Publishing
Founded in 2009, Lockwood Publishing is a leading independent UK company that specialises in developing virtual worlds for console and mobile platforms. The award-winning team is headquartered in Nottingham with further studios in Newcastle, Lisbon, and Vilnius. For more information about Lockwood Publishing, go to www.lockwoodpublishing.com
About Avakin Life
Avakin Life is a social 3D avatar-based metaverse for mobile launched in 2013. Its global community consists of more than 200million downloads and 1 million daily active users, who design their avatars using more than 30,000 virtual items and accessories, including real-world brands. In Avakin Life, players become avatars that explore, create and meet others in a rich and ever-changing virtual world.
For more information on Avakin Life, go to www.avakin.com