Photo Credit: Roblox
Lil Nas X is headlining the first-ever live-streaming concert in the Roblox world.
As he performs his hit, “Old Town Road,” the stage will change around him into an Old West set. That includes imagery of wooden saloons and rolling tumbleweeds as the song continues. The stage will then morph into something else for the hits “Rodeo” and “Panini.”
A morphing stage that changes as an artist goes through songs is nothing new. Fornite pioneered the concept with its Marshmello and Travis Scott concerts. But Roblox is bringing these hits to a new audience that trends even younger than Fornite players.
When asked why he decided on a virtual concert, Lil Nas X says a traditional live stream wasn’t good enough. “I didn’t want to do a normal live stream because that’s what everyone else is doing right now, and I really wanted to create something special that people wouldn’t expect,” the artist says of his partnership with Roblox.
Roblox is one of the largest multiplayer gaming communities in the world. It boasts over 150 million active players, mostly in the 7-18 age range. Roblox is trying to age up with its young audience by expanding its presence into music – much the same as Fortnite.
Earlier this year, the game featured a massive stage streaming the One World: Together at Home benefit concert. Roblox players could tune in and hang out with friends while watching the live-stream from in-game. Ava Max also debuted her album inside Roblox – but the Lil Nas X Roblox promotion is something new.
The show will feature a motion-captured avatar of Lil Nas X dancing around the in-game stage. That’s similar to what Fortnite did for Travis Scott’s Astronomical concert – where a larger than life rapper stomped around the island. Creating virtual representations of singers and rappers seems to be the go-to for in-game concerts.
Lil Nas X will also perform his new single, “Holiday,” while on the Roblox stage.
Players who log in to Roblox during the event can explore the Old West environment. There’s even a treasure hunt with hidden tokens that can be claimed by answering trivia questions about Lil Nas X. A digital merch table will also be available where players can spend their Robux on virtual shirts, hats, and other merch.
Lil Nas X says his favorite in-game Roblox merch items are the “Rodeo” inspired wings and shoulder pads.
His performance will be available as part of a multi-day event. The performance space opens today, while on Friday, players can watch a pre-recorded Q&A session with Lil Nas X. Finally, the Lil Nas X avatar concert will begin on Saturday. It will be replayed two more times in-game, so people in other timezones can catch it.