NEWS COPY
Upcoming singer-songwriter Jade Bird feared her music career might be over due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Jade, 22, who had a top 10 hit with her debut album in 2019, watched her sell-out UK tour disappear before her eyes, thanks to the lockdown measures.
But true performer Jade decided to find a way around the cancellations due to the UK lockdown.
She is set to give fans the 'gig of a lifetime' by streaming her performance live thanks to a new concept called the RE:Surface project– a new immersive framework that allows fans to collaborate and engage with live, virtual performances.
Jade will be the first artist to ‘uncancel’ her gigs using the RE:Surface project concept later this month.
Her first performance will be live streamed to viewers on mixer.com/resurface at 8.30pm BST on Friday 29th May.
Every aspect of the virtual gig will be reimagined, including giving audiences the ability to interact with the performance, visuals, the music and the artist in real-time.
Jade said: “Although my career is incredibly important to me, compared to everything else going on, my career never felt like the most important thing when this all happened.
"At the start of lockdown, it felt like there were bigger things in the world to worry about.
“But of course, I have wondered what would be next for my music, and how some of the things I was so used to and loved - touring with my band, meeting the people who come to my shows, sharing my songs, would be affected.
“My entire tour was cancelled six weeks ago and from that point everything changed for me as an artist - I’ve had to completely update my approach to getting my music out there.
“To know you would lose a year or more’s live work was incredibly worrying.
“But also it was seeing the harm done to so many of the other people who help and are a part of the process and friends - the musicians and crew who 100 per cent rely on live music, the promoters who make these events happen, and the small venues who helped me along the way.
“I’m a singer-songwriter and my tech skills aren’t the best, which is why this project is so good for me.
“I’m really excited about the gig on the 29th May and I can’t wait to see what it looks like in rehearsals.”
The Re:Surface project was inspired by and developed using Microsoft Surface technologies – a range of devices built to suit and power the individuals needs and style of everyone.
As part of the project, the RE:Surface Blueprint has also been created, in response to the British artists and musicians facing cancellations of tours and performances – helping them to revive their careers and continue to make an income this summer.
The RE:Surface project Blueprint includes a resource of how-to guides, Q&As and workshops which deconstruct every element of the gig production, pre show prep as well as the live show itself, to help both emerging artists building their fan base from their bedroom or established acts signed to independent labels.
As well as building up to her live show, Jade has been using the lockdown to get creative.
She said: “I've been on tour almost constantly the past maybe four years now, around the US, UK, Europe, the world.
"So, in a very real sense everything literally changed for me. I went from a different city every night, to performing songs in my garden.
“The first thing I really wanted to do when this started was find a way to share my songs again and also connect with some of the amazing people I've met at my gigs.
“Like everyone, I have found it incredibly difficult at times; worrying about friends, loved ones, the people who have supported me and also just what kind of world will be there at the end.
“But I have also managed to use songwriting as a way of coping.
“Me and some friends and other artists have a songwriter’s group where we share a track we have written every day amongst ourselves, and it’s really helped me to express the feelings I have right now as well as take my mind off things for a moment.”
ENDS
