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Defected’s Virtual Festival

Defected’s Virtual Festival

Following Defected’s first ever Virtual Festival last week, which was live-streamed across Twitter, YouTube and Facebook apparently reaching over 10m people, the label is preparing to continue the series with a 6-hour stream tomorrow. DJ sets will come from Folamour, Karizma, Melé, Riva Starr and more still to be announced.

Due to the demand Defected are committing to continuing the weekly broadcasts for as long as possible, while adhering to advice from health organisations. The stream will provide a soundtrack to the current lockdowns being enforced around the world, and an uplift for those in isolation. Defected’s ‘Our House. Your House. United. Together’ message accompanying this week’s event is clear, to encourage people to stay home and connect virtually through the power of music.

 

On the reaction to last week’s Virtual Festival, Defected’s founder and owner Simon Dunmore said:

“In normal times we connect people physically and online via social media. Last Friday we proved that there really is a global House Nation as people from all over the world met and partied together via apps and the Internet. There was nothing but positivity for 12 hours because, as the saying goes, people were “lost in music.”

 

“The event reunited people, they realised they were not alone in isolation. Communities and friends met up via their screens, and they partied like it was 1999! We hope to continue for as long as we are needed. We need people indoors, safe. We’ll provide the music and good times, they just need to stay in and be a part of this huge global House Party. We also want to extend the concept by fundraising for the global COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.”

 

Defected will be making a donation to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund from the World Health Organisation, and Friday’s stream will appear alongside a button for direct donations from viewers. Recently set up, the Fund is a secure way to contribute to the WHO-led effort responding to the pandemic.

 

On putting together a digital event, Defected CBO James Kirkham said:

“We need to own our role as a music business during this time, and bring the positivity. We need to be a beacon of light. We’ve worked closely with ubiquitous all-access platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, vital conduits enabling us to bring our brand to life onto millions of screens around the world. We’ll be connecting people again this Friday through great house music, creating the ultimate house parties. Connected. Together.” 

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