Sony Unveils ‘Immersive Reality’ Concert Experience With Madison Beer at CES

It’s not the same as being there, but Sony unveiled a new technology — featuring Epic artist Madison Beer — at CES on Monday that at least looks a lot like an actual live concert.

In it, Beer is a virtual avatar performing her song “Boyshit” at Sony Hall in New York before a virtual live audience on a virtual stage in a meticulous facsimile of the venue — although as the accompanying footage (below) shows, she was actually performing in a studio, wearing a virtual-reality suit. While it still looks like ultra-sophisticated animation, it’s getting closer every year to looking like real life.

In the full performance, Beer’s avatar will perform a medley of songs from her forthcoming Epic Records debut album, “Life Support,” as the avatar.

Watch the preview here.

Fans will be able to view the Madison Beer Immersive Reality Concert Experience on PlayStation VR and Oculus VR, and as an immersive 2D experience, which will be broadly available on streaming music video channels. It is set to debut later this winter.

“The process of putting this performance together is like nothing I’ve ever done before,” said Beer. “I love creating visuals, so it was really exciting for me to get involved in the process and make something special for my fans. We’re all disappointed we can’t go out and experience these songs on tour together, so creating a performance like this one feels like a true gift.”

Said Sylvia Rhone, Chairwoman and CEO, Epic Records, “Madison Beer is raising the bar of what’s possible in a virtual concert performance and we couldn’t be more excited. With this cutting-edge collaboration of music and technology, Madison has brought her innovative vision to life in a unique way while taking it to new heights. This is another example of Epic’s commitment to empower our artists with groundbreaking opportunities to expand their creative options and engage fans through immersive experiences.”

Said Dennis Kooker, President, Global Digital Business and U.S. Sales, Sony Music Entertainment, “We are pleased to be partnering with Verizon to bring Madison Beer’s groundbreaking immersive performance to fans across a range of streaming and VR platforms.  This is a forward-looking, incredibly lifelike experience that brings a new dimension to Madison’s artistry and highlights the capabilities of these innovative formats which bring fans closer to the music than ever before.”

“New technologies only become real for consumers through groundbreaking performances like this one,” said Erin McPherson, Head of Consumer Content and Partnerships at Verizon. “Madison Beer is one of the most exciting young performers today, and her willingness to disrupt is a glimpse into the future of creativity and engagement in music. As interactive performances continue to evolve, Madison Beer and Sony will stand as a milestone in the development of new, immersive experiences for consumers, powered by Verizon.”