How Marshmello’s Fortnite show has affected the music industry
Ever since its release in 2017, Fortnite has been a household name around the globe, quickly becoming one of the most famous games the world has ever seen. Particularly during the first year, the game had an unrivalled level of popularity, with many gamers of all ages becoming increasingly addicted to its battle royale mode. One artist who has continually been linked closely with the game is Marshmello, in fact, he has even taken part in tournaments alongside gaming sensation Ninja. For this reason, he made the perfect choice as the first artist to have the opportunity to play a live set within the game, something that drew attention from all around the globe. But just how much has this leap forward affected the music industry as a whole?
The live set took place on 2nd February 2019, and more than 10 million users logged on to witness the spectacle. Marshmello performed two sets with a 12-hour gap in-between, thus making the experience accessible for people on all time-zones. The collaboration between Fortnite and Marshmello makes perfect sense, with Marshmello’s unique yet hidden identity giving him a very characteristic and memorable brand. According to Rolling Stone, Marshmello’s weekly YouTube view count increased by over 100 million and his number of Instagram followers grew by 1 million following the show, plus he was mentioned on Twitter over 50,000 times on the day of the event. Safe to say, the in-game live set was mutually beneficial for both Marshmello and Fortnite, making the collaboration a resounding success globally.
To make the show as realistic as possible, Marshmello performed the entire set completely live while wearing a body suit to track his movements and replicate them in the game. The show took six months to put together, requiring a great deal of organisation on both sides, and a huge number of technology experts. While this isn’t the first live performance to take place within a game, according to Marshmello’s manager Moe Shalizi, nothing has been done on this scale before, which is why it is set to impact the industry so greatly.
One of the main impacts of the projects is the sheer reach achieved. As noted above, Marshmello experienced significant gains in his online following, proving that the experience granted him a huge level of brand exposure globally. While it may seem that Marshmello was the only artist to benefit, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Within music, fans will often discover one artist and by doing so will come into contact with many more, expanding their taste within the genre. For this reason, Marshmello’s growth also represents more exposure for the electronic music genre as a whole, and any artists linked directly or indirectly with Marshmello.
It is also worth noting that every advance in technology paves the way for further development. This means that the next time a project like this is brought to life, it will be even bigger and more advanced. Every time an artist accomplishes a feat that many thought impossible, it proves once again that there are no limits to what artists can achieve. In fact, Marshmello’s performance will have inspired artists around the globe.
While inspiring fellow producers, Marshmello will likely also inspired the next generation of young music producers. Many of Fortnite’s users are very young, and may never have heard of Marshmello, or dance music before. This performance may have been the catalyst in inspiring young gamers to want to be the next big DJ, creating a generation of budding producers/DJs. Inspiring new young producers is something that will benefit the music industry as a whole and will pave the way for future creations.
This collaboration between Marshmello and Fortnite has proven just how beneficial it can be to develop partnerships with globally-visible brands. One of the single greatest ways to expand your following within the music industry is to team up with a suitable brand and develop a mutually beneficial partnership. If you’re not at a stage in your career where you’re globally famous, don’t be disheartened into thinking that brands won’t want to collaborate with you. You may not yet have the stature to collaborate with a brand like Fortnite, but there are brands of all sizes out there just waiting to link up. Aim to look for a relevant brand that is at a similar level or has around the same number of followers as you do. These are exactly the kind of brands you’ll want to reach out to in order to establish a partnership, as you’re much more likely to succeed in locking a deal.
Marshmello’s performance within Fortnite marked a major turning point within the electronic music industry. It served as a reminder that anything is possible and proved once again that often the most unique ideas are the ones that have the most potential. The sheer volume of individuals that logged on to witness the spectacle on Fortnite is truly staggering and represents the power of two huge brands joining forces. As an artist, you should never be afraid of seeking out partnerships with brands in order to further your career, even if you do experience rejection as a result. Even if 10 brands say no, the 11th brand you contact may be the brand that agrees to work with you and build a mutually beneficial partnership. Be inspired by Marshmello’s collaboration with Fortnite and start looking for your own brand deals today.
