In many ways, the pandemic has entirely changed how we consume art. Music especially. Over the years, the music industry has faced many sweeping changes, as we moved from cassette tapes, to CDs, to MP3s, and now, to music streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. In the early 2000s, peer-to-peer sharing sites like Napster and Limewire threatened to overhaul the music industry entirely, cutting the revenue of artists and their record labels alike, and so the industry had to change and adapt.

In 2020, a new threat emerged for the music industry, as live events screeched to a halt, and musicians and labels had to find new ways to engage with fans. The pandemic ushered in the popularity of virtual and hybrid events, and now, as the world slowly returns to normalcy, it looks like these virtual events aren’t going away.

Prior to 2020, the idea of a virtual concert was almost unheard of, with people preferring to see their favorite bands play live when the opportunity arose. However, in March of 2020, as most people were confined to their homes, with access to speedy internet and streaming, virtual events popped up everywhere.

It took some time for the music industry to adapt. They lost a tremendous amount of revenue due to event cancellations and lack of merch sales. And since most merchandise gets sold at live, in-person concerts, many artists quickly branched out on their own, performing virtually on YouTube, Instagram Live, and other streaming sites. Soon, people all across the world were attending virtual events and concerts, and it became something to look forward to during those first few months of the pandemic.

ViewStub already knew the impact of these virtual events, though, and built a platform specifically to enable virtual concerts.

During lockdown, Home Depot and Brad Paisley collaborated on an online concert, hosted by ViewStub, in which fans who spent $50 or more on Home Depot gift cards could gain access to the private performance. The event was a sweeping success, with more than 110,000 gift cards sold, and over $6 million in profits.

The event, said ViewStub co-founder Patrick VanDusen, “was all about creating a memorable experience. By focusing on that, Home Depot generated a tremendous return on investment and strengthened brand loyalty. This will have a compounding effect on all of their marketing efforts for years to come.”

As a result of that event’s success, ViewStub has continued to stream virtual concerts on their site, with performances by Jason Derulo, One Republic, DJ Snoopadelic (more commonly known as Snoop Dogg), Dru Hill, Noah Cyrus, and more.

Now, despite the return of live concerts, people are still using the site to stream virtual or hybrid events, as many have found that watching a concert from the comfort of their own home is sometimes a preferable experience, while others, who may not be comfortable attending live events just yet, or are unable to, can still have an online alternative. In fact, there are a number of advantages to virtual concerts, versus in-person, for both fans and artists.

For fans, watching a concert from home means no more travelling long distances to a tour stop, or waiting months, if not years, for an artist to perform close to your home. Watching from home saves money on travel costs, and also means no more stress or inconvenience of having to go to a destination, stand for hours at a time in a crowded venue, or wait in long bathroom or food lines. A virtual concert will only cost you the ticket itself, as you remain comfortable at home.

And for artists, virtual or hybrid concerts have meant more ticket sales and attendance. When a virtual option is available, data has shown that there is upwards of a 64% increase in attendance.

Currently, a hybrid in-person/virtual concert called Overwatch 13 is being planned in Tampa, Florida to raise funds for the families of 13 fallen troops in Afghanistan from August 2021. ViewStub will be hosting the virtual part of the concert as a way to support nonprofits and charity events. US Marine Corp veteran Raymond Lott, also known as The Marine Rapper, will be headlining the concert, with other artists still in talks to perform.

“The event is a great way to generate camaraderie, and bring awareness to important issues like suicide prevention and remembering our fallen troops who served overseas,” said Lott.

Virtual streaming platforms existed before the pandemic — ViewStub being one of them — but it wasn’t until lockdowns began that these platforms really started to gain traction. Another such site hosting virtual concerts includes Generation Hip Hop Global, created by music industry professionals as a youth empowerment and development program.

Generation Hip Hop Global works with non-profit organizations around the world to host virtual hip hop events. As of today, 67 countries have partnered with the organization, working to help artists affected by the pandemic. Artists and industry professionals have hosted virtual concerts and meet and greets, workshops, summits, and conferences all on the site.

“Today, even though the world is mostly back to normal, we continue to harness virtual engagement,” said Terence Barry, the founder and Executive Director of Generation Hip Hop Global. “The goal is to never lose connectivity by making use of all channels for engagement. Not easy, but possible.”

ViewStub is unique, though, in that it provides all the necessary services for artists to host a virtual event, without the artist having to hire an outside team for AV support, promotion, sales, etc.

“People needed a way to host virtual events, but there wasn’t anything else on the market that put everything into a single platform,” said Spencer Elliot, ViewStub co-founder.

Before sites like ViewStub existed, explains Elliot, artists used to have to buy several different subscriptions and hire various tech experts to make everything run smoothly.

“And even then,” said Elliot, “things are more likely to go wrong. We wanted to eliminate that by providing a single, seamless solution.”

ViewStub provides the streaming service, as well as managing ticket sales, merchandise sales, audience engagement, marketing, sponsorships, analytics, and anything else that might come up. In essence, they are a one-stop shop for virtual concerts. As a result of this integration, revenue is higher, since artists can more easily sell merchandise during and after the concert.

The platform makes it easy for artists and fans to engage, and even now long after the pandemic, fans are still flocking to virtual concerts, making it easier to watch their favorite artists at any time.

So, it seems, virtual concerts are here to stay, even in a post-pandemic world.

From the church to the mainstream music scene, Paapa-Berchie is a 23-year-old music prodigy aiming for success in the hip-hop genre. Paapa-Berchie started his music journey from school choirs, acapella groups, and national music competitions. He struck some luck when he received classical voice training during high school, which propelled him into a scholarship at UNC-Chapel Hill.

College changed everything for Paapa-Berchie, and within the past year, he has built a career destined for greatness. The Crofton, MD-born singer and songwriter, thrives on his authentic and intriguing sound, setting him apart as a young musician. He draws influence and inspiration from iconic artists like Tupac, Notorious B.I.G., Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, Meek Mill, H.E.R., J. Cole Rihanna, Ty Dolla Sign, Lucky Day, Kehlani, Masego, and many others.

He released his first single, “Dreams,” in 2019. Since then, Paapa-Berchie’s work ethic has stood him out. Following his first single, he has released other songs like “The Throne” and “So Bad” featuring Naim. He also released an EP titled, Be  Blessed and a sophomore mixtape titled O.P.E.R.A, which houses hit singles like “TiDal Wave,” “Lavi$h,” and “Hometown.”

Since he chose to concentrate on his music career, it has become the only thing that matters. He shared, “I know that out of all my competitors, there is not a soul that would be able to do the same thing I am doing. The style I bring is unique, provocative, and intriguing. Instead of giving consumers something that is almost considered the ‘atypical rapper/singer,’ I bring a whole new vibe and joy to the game.” 

Paapa-Berchie is a gifted instrumentalist with skills in playing the piano and the saxophone. He’s also on the path of versatility with his ability to sing, rap, and create music in multiple genres. He’s also learning Twi and Spanish languages to enable him to create music in those languages and capture more fans from other parts of the world.

Paapa-Berchie is building his music career on his terms. His music appeals to hip-hop enthusiasts, R&B enthusiasts, classical music enthusiasts, and anyone who loves to listen to a different style of new music and get introduced to a new vibe. He values his creativity and makes sure he puts his all when creating music. “We are entering a new decade where listeners are looking for the songs that are out to evolve. Everyone is tired of the same pattern and style of music of the past, and the time is now to be introduced to a new sound that can help shape the future of music,” he said.

Over the next few years, he sees himself creating chart-topping music, getting nominated for awards, and being named among the trending artists on national and global charts. Making music is a passion, and Paapa-Berchie is committed to making it work out for him.Learn more about Paapa-Berchie on his official website. Also, follow his social media pages on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.