Canada’s The Weeknd has inked a major promotional partnership with Verizon, the largest cell phone service provider in America.
According to details emailed by Verizon, the sponsorship deal will center on The Weeknd’s just-announced After Hours Tour. Ticketholders who are enrolled in Verizon Up, Verizon’s rewards program/app, will gain access “to an exclusive stage side experience” with other Verizon Up users. Additionally, The Weeknd will meet with Up-equipped guests at certain concerts, which have not yet been specified.
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the agreement is an “exclusive Verizon Up concert from The Weeknd.” Additional details, including a date and location, will be made available later this year.
Speaking of the Verizon agreement, The Weeknd said that “connecting with my fans is paramount,” and that he believes this sponsorship will enable him to become closer with more of his supporters.
The aforementioned side-stage experiences will be available only during The Weeknd’s U.S. concerts. Verizon Up is free to download for Verizon Wireless subscribers.
The North American leg of The Weeknd’s After Hours Tour is set to initiate on June 11th, with a concert in the artist’s home country. Following two additional shows in Canada, The Weeknd is scheduled to tour the U.S. into the start of September. After a brief break from the road, the 30-year-old will make his way to Europe for a series of performances in October and November.
Ticketmaster customers will be able to access the After Hour Tour’s pre-sale tickets next Tuesday, February 25th, at 10 AM EST (7 AM PST). Notably, a few locations’ tickets won’t be made available until February 28th.
The Weeknd’s fourth album, After Hours, will drop on March 20th. Three of the 14-track work’s songs—“Heartless,” “Blinding Lights,” and “After Hours”—have been released as singles.