Olivia PowellGlitterbox has announced that, following the cancellations or postponement of a number of its events due to the worldwide lockdowns, it will launch its debut virtual festival.
Gliterbox’s online festival follows the success of its sister label Defected Records’ own success, as it held online parties featuring Bob Sinclar, Purple Disco Machine, Natasha Diggs, Melvo Baptiste and Simon Dunmore, which attracted over 5m people.
The colourful squad of drag performers that Glitterbox is known for will be taking to the virtual stage, streaming via video link-ups across Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Twitch. The drag performers will also be doing a series of Instagram Live sessions, encouraging Glitterbox’s 101,000 Instagram followers to express themselves, even whilst under lockdown.
Defected Records and Glitterbox founder Simon Dunmore describes the vision for the two brands’ online strategy: “Music and clubbing are an escape for many and, with social gatherings rightfully restricted, we wanted to connect people online in the hope that they appreciate they are not alone.”
Glitterbox’s ambassadors have also been sharing their skills and getting to know fans through online streams. Channel 4’s Drag SOS star and performer TeTe Bang shared her tips for self-isolation via series of online tutorials and Q&As which reached over 10,000 people. A star of the UK drag scene known for her fabulous handcrafted costumes, TeTe shared her advice for those in lockdown, and revealed how she’s staying busy. The second live video in the series was viewed by over 15,000 people and featured Glitterbox performer Gisele, a self-taught make-up artist who started their career working for MAC Cosmetics. Gisele offered a drag make-up masterclass for fans looking to achieve the dancer’s striking looks at home.
On Monday 20th April brand ambassador and dancer Lucy Fizz will be doing a live Q&A with journalist Tracy Kawalik.
CBO James Kirkham said: “Times are changing quickly, so our strategy is about being positive, harnessing the strength of many and leveraging the value of our incredible community. We can still bring people together – we just need to think a little differently.”
The Glitterbox virtual festival will be taking place on 17 April, and will be streaming via Twitter, Facebook Live, Youtube & Twitch. Interact with the festival usin the hashtag #VirtualFestival.