7DIG.L Regulatory News (7DIG)

11 November 2020

7digital Group plc

("7digital" or "the Company")

eMusic Live and HarrisonParrott raise the curtain on Virtual Circle 

Leading classical artist management agency chooses eMusic Live to raise the bar on livestream engagement and monetisation

7digital (AIM: 7DIG), the global leader in B2B end-to-end digital music solutions, is pleased to announce that its joint venture eMusic Live has partnered with HarrisonParrott, a world-leading international classical music artist and project management company, to launch Virtual Circle, an exclusive online concert and music hub for classical music listeners. This is the first such partnership since the formation of the joint venture with eMusic and presents clear evidence of the growing demand for artist monetisation tools, a key growth market and new revenue stream for 7digital.

Virtual Circle is a full-service content hub for artists to host livestreams and monetise digital engagement at a time when the classical music economy has been affected the most by shuttered concert halls and logistical difficulties which will continue to affect live performance in the post-pandemic world. Virtual Circle is part of HarrisonParrott's long term digital strategy to make beautiful music experiences more accessible while also giving audiences multiple ways to support the artists, and will feature performances from their roster of 300 international artists, touring clients, orchestras, chamber orchestras, symphonies and dance groups, alongside other partner organisations.

7digital partnered with eMusic to create eMusic Live in August 2020, the most advanced commercial live streaming platform that enables artists, managers and brands to create highly personal, interactive events that can also be monetised from end to end. Powered using the Company's advanced technology platform, Virtual Circle will benefit from a fully customised, authentic concert experience and access to the most advanced commercial tools for artists to generate income before, during, and after the livestream.

HarrisonParrott artists will be able to utilise commercial features such as ticketing and ticket bundles featuring music or merchandise, as well as up-sells to high-resolution master recordings or VIP experiences such as artist Q&A sessions. Virtual Circle will also provide new and different engagement opportunities with fans, including workshops/masterclasses, interviews, album launches and listening parties.

Paul Langworthy, CEO of 7digital, said: "With tours and residencies effectively stopped, supporting artist monetisation is imperative. 7digital's platform along with eMusic Live will do just that. The pairing of HarrisonParrott's artists and the eMusic Live platform will ensure that the audience receives immersive, intimate, one-of-a-kind performances, and give the HarrisonParrott artists the tools to build real, sustainable relationships with their fans and a new wider audience, with the security of a reliable income. 

"When we announced the launch of eMusic Live, we identified artist monetisation as a key growth market and a strategic priority for 7digital. Collaborations such as Virtual Circle demonstrate the strength of demand for the eMusic Live offering and the opportunity for it to become a significant revenue source for 7digital."

Jasper Parrott, Chairman of HarrisonParrott, said: "Virtual Circle is a platform that will push open boundaries currently impeding creativity and imagination in ways which will enhance the enjoyment of stunning performances and build sustainable pathways for the support of classical music and the arts. After reviewing the solutions in the market, eMusic Live was the standout platform for Virtual Circle because it allows our artists and partners to grow their public and their business in many exciting new directions. Virtual Circle will bring innovative, exciting quality content to fans around the world, and let our artists benefit from commercialisation features like ticketing, VIP experiences and music purchases. This is the path forward critical to sustaining the vibrancy of the classical and arts community."

To launch the platform, Virtual Circle will host several exciting performances streamed for classical music fans worldwide, starting on 8 December 2020 with a performance of Jean Sibelius' Symphony No.1 by the Oslo Philharmonic on the 155th anniversary of the composer's birth. There will also be a follow-on performance on 17 December 2020 by French pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard, in a programme with works by Beethoven, Messiaen, and Stockhausen, with a world premiere by Kurtág, and several performances in January 2021 by leading ensembles MAGIC Manchester Camerata and Echo Collective. 

Enquiries

About 7digital (www.7digital.com/)

7digital is the global leader in B2B end-to-end digital music solutions. The core of its business is the provision of robust and scalable technical infrastructure and extensive global music rights used to create music streaming and radio services for a diverse range of customers. These include consumer and social media brands, online fitness technologies, mobile carriers, broadcasters, automotive systems, record labels and retailers. 7digital also offers radio production and music curation services, editorial strategy and content management expertise.

7digital fosters industry growth and innovation by simplifying access to music for clients. From years of being the largest independent producer of programming for the BBC and powering services for partners like Triller, Soundtrack Your Brand, Global Eagle, Grandpad and Fender, 7digital is perfectly positioned to lead innovation at the intersection of digital music and next-generation radio services.

About eMusic Live (www.emusiclive.com)

eMusic Live is the most advanced commercial live streaming platform that enables artists, managers and brands to create highly personal, interactive events that can also be monetised from end to end. Created in joint venture between eMusic and 7digital, this first-of-its-kind virtual concert platform combines the best in audience engagement with the leading artist monetisation tools including tickets and ticket bundling, in-video effects and music sales, merchandise, collectibles and sponsorships that help artists, venues and brands grow their revenue and reach. Each event is an immersive experience that can be fully customized with stream overlays, rewards and live discussion feeds.

About HarrisonParrott  (https://www.harrisonparrott.com)

Established in 1969 by Jasper Parrott and Terry Harrison, HarrisonParrott is long recognised as the world's leading arts management company and has always been an innovator in its field.

From representing many of the world's leading musicians it has expanded into offering a range of services beyond traditional artist management including organising international orchestral tours, project management and sponsorship. With a client roster that ranges far beyond classical musicians, the company curates and presents a wide range of concerts and artistic events. 

At HP we have always seen ourselves as truly international and were early pioneers in launching and consolidating successful activities in Japan, China, in South Asia and in South America and we take great pride in the many different languages, backgrounds and culture we have successfully integrated in our already widely located staff. We are also long established as one of the most successful managements in the US as we place our artists with orchestras and presenters throughout the classical and contemporary markets and despite the extraordinary difficulties our partners there are enduring there, we expect to be leaders in bringing classical music back into revived activity from early next year.