The Weeknd puts his new world tour on the blockchain with Binance

The Future. The Weeknd and crypto exchange Binance are teaming up on the artist’s new world tour, bringing Web3 to every aspect of the concert experience. Considering his penchant for secretive, immersive experiments, don’t be surprised if The Weeknd hides a larger metaverse project into the overarching narrative of his tour.

Web3’s opening act
Forbes reports that The Weeknd is breaking new ground with his “After Hours Til Dawn” world tour.

• The artist is partnering with Binance, the largest crypto exchange in the world, to integrate Web3 tech into his tour that kicks off on July 8.
• Binance will partner with HXOUSE, The Weeknd’s creative incubator initiative, to produce each crypto element of the tour, including NFTs, virtual ticket stubs, digital merch, and — we wouldn’t be surprised — another metaverse concert.

Additionally, Binance is donating $2 million and 5% of sales from a branded NFT to The Weeknd’s XO Humanitarian Fund, which is currently working with the UN’s World Food Program. The Weeknd is also donating $1 of every ticket sold from the North American leg of the tour.

Music gets meta
The partnership with Binance isn’t The Weeknd’s big crypto debut. Last year, he put up NFT artwork on Nifty Gateway and joined the board of Tom Brady’s Autograph. He also invested in metaverse-land developer Everyrealm (maybe to get his own Snoop Dogg-like mansion in The Sandbox).

Considering The Weeknd’s global success and bullishness of Web3, don’t be surprised if he uses the blockchain to empower up-and-coming artists like Snoop and John Legend are doing— an ambition that would fit neatly within the mission of HXOUSE.