On the day Beabadoobee’s debut album is released, YouTube Music Europe director Dan Chalmers has promised a “seminal performance” from the Dirty Hit act at today’s livestream.
Due to kick off in the UK at 8:30pm, the full band, multi-camera show is the latest collaboration between the platform and Beabadoobee, who Chalmers calls “the consummate YouTube artist”. The show will also stream in LA, New York and central Europe.
Here, Chalmers looks ahead to the show and explains just why YouTube are so excited by Beabadoobee’s potential. Read our Q&A in full below, and find Beabadoobee’s On The Radar interview from last year here.
How has YouTube supported Beabadoobee as an emerging artist?
“The whole team at YouTube have been long-time supporters of Beabadoobee. In 2019, we invited her to be part of The Foundry programme, our global development initiative for up and coming independent artists, which provides crucial resources including marketing and best practices for artists to grow their audience on our platform. She went on to feature on our Ones To Watch list in 2020, and earlier this year she was named as our Artist On The Rise, so we feel we have truly followed her journey from the ground up and contributed to her growth.”
As an artist with international appeal, how has YouTube helped her development?
“The Foundry gave Beabadoobee the resources to elevate her to the global stage. Seeing her YouTube Foundry billboard in Times Square in New York was a special moment. The UK has long been at the centre of creativity globally, and our rich and diverse culture is an essential part of our creative economy. Throughout the pandemic, it’s imperative that we can continue helping artists such as Bea connect with fans around the world.”
We want to exceed expectations with the production and show a different side to Bea
Dan Chalmers, YouTube Music
What are the plans for the livestream and how will you help in terms of production and reaching a global audience?
“We’ve seen a lot of bedroom livestreams over the last six months. With Beabadoobee having famously broken out of her bedroom, we wanted to exceed expectations with the production and show a different side to her. It’s going to be an immersive live show with a full band, performing the album in full, track by track with beautiful production design. It’s being shot as if it’s a real live gig, with multiple cameras and a cinematic feel. We wanted to create a seminal performance to mark what is the pinnacle of her debut album campaign. We’ll be promoting it globally on platform and across our socials.”
How can YouTube and YouTube Music assist in the global album campaign?
“Beabadoobee is the consummate YouTube artist. Her visual-first approach has resulted in a series of compelling music videos that have been watched by millions, and she's been using YouTube as a platform for direct to fan, and DIY community content long before her peers. She has a very clear vision of who she is as an artist visually – our role is to help support that vision, amplify it and collaborate with her on initiatives like the livestream.”
Have you got any more livestream album launch plans to help acts unable to tour?
“Given the current circumstances, we expect livestreams to become the norm within album campaigns. Until we’re in a position where artists can get back on the road, we’re here to offer the best platform to bring intimate live performances to life and take them to a global audience.”
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