Virtual Insanity: Is there really any future for Music content in VR?
In this post I’ll be discussing examples of virtual artist-to-fan interactions from the last ten years, how this has influenced VR content we see today and I’ll also be sharing what I’ve learnt through my own deep-dive expedition into creating VR content as a music artist.
I’m always seeking out alternative routes when it comes to releasing music independently and creating the content that surrounds it. So, back in 2016 while stumbling around in my new VR headset for the first time, virtual bow-and-arrow in hand, I suddenly realised a couple of things…
Firstly, I would definitely be the first to die in the Hunger Games. I’m no Katniss Everdeen. My broken shelf would’ve agreed too had it survived.
And secondly, I realised there might be a way of adapting my music to a VR format. At the time, the technology was only just becoming more commercially available to the public and so the VR space remained relatively untouched by most people who weren’t developers. So I wanted to get in early to explore how I could create music focused content in a fresh format and this time invite the world to step in even closer.
In virtual communities, musicians & artists have been trialling various online formats for music videos and live performances for years … and in more depth than you realise.
The most recent and notable example of virtual live performance is Fortnite’s collaboration with Marshmello. Epic Games hosted their very first live concert in Pleasant Park within the game, even going as far as promoting the show in-game with gig posters over the island days before. Which is pretty genius if you ask me. Over 10 million people logged in and attended the show… and it was done brilliantly. It gave me legitimate goosebumps — akin to what I felt when I put on that VR headset for the first time. I felt like I was witnessing a new wave of content that could actually have a bright future. It almost felt like a new discovery, and it’s convinced me that we’ll see a lot more artists attempting the same.
It’s exciting to think about this whole new dimension to gaming too... not to mention that it gives further purpose for spamming juicy dancing emotes. And it makes perfect sense to bring the music to the people and where they’re already at. Last August saw Fortnite’s biggest peak in monthly users yet, hitting 80 million. That’s… a big crowd. So this isn’t the last of in-game music concerts. Let’s just hope future attempts are done with as much finesse and awesome visuals. My prediction/hope for Fortnite Fest 2.0 is a virtual set from Drake.
It was a live and unmissable event. If you missed it, you missed it. You had to be there.
Sure, you can replay it on YouTube but it’s nothing like being there in the moment. It’s kinda like when your favourite band’s in town on tour and they’re NEVER in your town so you buy front row tickets because you simply can’t miss it. And for an artist there’s nothing quite like your audience living out the moment alongside you in realtime as it happens. It’s why I’ve made livestreaming a part of my daily life as an artist, but more on that later.
A much earlier example of simulated performances online is via a platform launched back in 2003 called Second Life — an interactive 3D virtual world inhabited by online users and their customised avatars. Users insist that it’s not a game, but more a social landscape to literally build a second life of your choosing. And it looks something like this:
Just when you thought the crowd at your local bar looked peculiar…
In the photo above you’re looking at the avatar of virtual troubadour Zak Claxton — an LA based musician who’s performed via SL for over 12 years. I have a huge admiration for artists and musicians who go about things alternatively. So I reached out to Zak to learn more:
How did Second Life help you as a musician outside of the platform?
“ It helped tremendously. Like many musicians, I was in a situation where it was very difficult for me to do many of the necessary steps to promote my music… especially the act of playing live and touring beyond my local area of Los Angeles. Purely through developing a fan base in Second Life, I was able to gain a base of followers on every continent except Antarctica, and have people attending my virtual shows and purchasing my music who would have otherwise never heard of me. Beyond that, like any networking opportunity, my association with other SL performers has led to fun and exciting collaborations, real life meet-ups, and more. I’ve performed in SL for over 12 years now, and as a musician, I find it to be gratifying on multiple levels.
It’s pretty amazing what can be done in real life that originates in a virtual world.
Second Life has also allowed me, as a musician, to use my talents for charitable and fundraising efforts that have been very meaningful to me. On my wall here at my home is a series of photos (see left) from the children of a school in Kenya who receive meals and school construction projects that are funded through SL performances.”
Zak’s story left me feeling pretty inspired. While some may struggle to grasp the significance of a singing avatar in a simulated world, Zak’s story proves the possibilities. Through his virtual shows he’s been able to find fulfilment in his music and make enormous contributions that have positively affected communities around the world.
It’s also proof that musicians out there have experimented as far back as 16 years ago with what was essentially 2003’s version of VR. To put it in perspective, that same year broadband internet only just became a thing, Apple launched the iTunes store and Tom gave birth to MySpace. Ouch.
So the team behind SL who were dreaming up this idea of connecting people through a 3D social network were already ahead of their time. The format is actually closely comparable to the more modern VR Chat — where users can socialise and play games as avatars in virtual reality.
An old friend of mine began her musical journey on SL too, performing as her avatar at ‘online venues’ dotted around its multiple universes. These experiences actually gave her the confidence to perform IRL eventually — which could perhaps be an encouraging thought for those who might suffer with stage freight as performers.
But Second Life isn’t for everyone. Many struggle to understand the appeal of virtual worlds like it. Some prefer to keep their feet firmly on the ground in the real world. And you can’t really blame them…
To quote one of my favourite bewildered comments ever on a video review of Second Life:
“What in the merry world of f*** did I just see?”
And I mean to include that quote for the nicest reason possible. Because while it aligns with the opinions of outsiders who find the platform way too weird and unusual, in a more positive context it was also the first thought of many people who witnessed their first virtual music performance ever.
The platform kind of pioneered the concept of a virtual open mic. It enabled singers to perform at ‘online venues’ and monetise virtual gigs for the first time ever. Since then, SL have released a VR sequel, ‘Sansar’ which is worth a look too. If there’s anything Second Life can teach us it’s that users have been immersing themselves and consuming music in virtual worlds way longer than most realise.
I’m no stranger to virtual showcases myself. For the last 5 years I’ve live streamed everyday on YouNow as a way to perform original music for my audience — although these online performances aren’t in any way simulated or ‘masked’. They’re more of a window into my life as an artist and songwriter and an opportunity for me to build a community, earn as an artist and interact with fans. It’s always been important to me that my audience feels a part of whatever content I create, because largely they’re the ones who help make it happen — they deserve that invitation. In VR the viewer is an explorer and like livestreaming, the content is more interactive than a regular video, so naturally it felt like a route I should try.
Last November, an unsuspecting Air BnB host came home to find their furniture re-arranged and their latest tenant in an questionable pose, entangled by a spaghetti junction of wires and cables at their feet.
It was me, awkwardly stood in the HTC Vive editing my next music video. Before you ask, I’m an excellent roommate with glowing reviews… I promise. Top tip: Prior to arrival, always ask your host before you commandeer their living room with a VR headset… which I did and they were totally cool with it. Top tip #2: Maybe remember to ask your host to let any other hosts know the deal too… because this one definitely didn’t expect what they walked into.
Top tip #3: Diffuse the situation with a game of VR archery, they’ll forget the whole thing & you’ll become their new favourite tenant. Boom! 5 star review.
I wanted to treat my audience to a double dose of music videos — both videos shot at the same time showing the same storyline progression… but from completely different perspectives. The second video (released two weeks after the original and shot on the Lenovo Mirage) experiments with the VR180 format.
Playing with the concept of the songs title ‘Distracted’, we strategically placed animated actors and props throughout each scene to entice the audience away from the central focus, encouraging them to swipe or turn their heads to explore beyond the constrained frames of a normal video.
One of my concerns was drawing that focus away too much. Had it been shot in 360°, some content could’ve been missed completely. This is why VR180 was the perfect solution, as it still gave the video a sense of space and provided enough freedom for the viewer to actively explore. Watching VR180 is more or less like engaging your peripheral vision — you catch the full scope of what’s happening in front of you from the corner of your eye.
Another concern was the expense. For the consumer, VR gear doesn’t come cheap and in its early years it’s fair to say that it’s perhaps had a limited audience reach because of this. Google Cardboard was a step in the right direction accessibility wise. 360° and 180° content on smartphones can give viewers a small taste of VR with a simple swipe left or right… but arguably, headsets remain the better way to fully experience the format. IMO anyway.
Initially, I wasn’t fully convinced VR would take off.
But by dipping my toes in and after seeing some innovative examples coming from other musicians and artists utilising the technology too, I’m left feeling more hopeful that it could be one of the leading formats for music videos and live performances in the future. I see the world of VR as a big sandbox. For creators, there isn’t a settled, standardised format or formula to follow yet because it’s such an open medium. And for viewers, it’s ultimately a playground compared to any other standard video they might watch.
On August 31st last year I excitedly threw on my headset to experience the premiere of Imogen Heap’s show within TheWaveVR. Despite the reality of being sat on a rug and isolated to my living room, there was something just as engaging about this experience as any typical live show at a venue. At one point a holographic Imogen towers above, almost like a puppeteer of these beautiful, wispy visualisations that whirl around the audience. It added this whole other dimension to the music that I would urge you to experience in VR for yourselves.
It’s not about simulating something to compete with the experience of a live show. It’s about exploring the possibilities of additional dimensions for formats we already know. Just as any music video offers a visualisation for a song, a VR experience offers the same, but also invites you to be a part of the action. It’s all-encompassing and likely engages a more intense emotional response. The traditional music video is not the be-all and end-all anymore. There’s now even more room for creativity.
We’re past the age of the passive viewer. Audiences don’t just want a screen to look at anymore. They want to be a part of the story unfolding in front of them. And this will still be the case years from now.
Consumers already purchase high-end headphones and install better sound systems in their homes and cars to improve the music listening experience. So why shouldn’t they continue to do so in the future and combine video too? Virtual worlds away from our own will always be appealing — we will always crave to escape our own realities, if only to jump onto the set of a music video or pretend you’re Katniss Everdeen for half an hour.
So I personally predict a bright future for music in VR. The stimuli both music and VR each provide go hand-in-hand and when done right, they can compliment each other beautifully. The work of artists today has validated the appeal and openness of the format. Virtual artist-to-fan interactions from the past and present prove that there’s audience demand for a closer connection. As artists we’ll always want to give our audiences more and as audience members we’ll always want the next big thing. The curiosities of future generations will continue to spark and fuse new ideas between the two mediums and will perhaps even go on to explore VR’s successor in the future… whatever that may be.
