Katy Perry to Headline Virtual Tomorrowland Festival

Ellise Shafer
·3 min read

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The iconic Tomorrowland Festival – which usually takes place in Boom, Belgium – has found a new home in the digital space for its 2020 edition, now called Tomorrowland Around the World. But, the EDM fest promises to pack just as much of a punch with a unique interactive experience, eight stages and over 60 artists, including headliner Katy Perry.

Scheduled for July 25 and 26, Tomorrowland Around the World will provide 3D imaging from within its website, along with the fireworks and laser shows that have become trademark of the festival — no VR goggles required. Perry’s set will offer captivating visuals while she performs hits from throughout her catalog, as well as new songs from her sixth studio album, “Smile,” out Aug. 14.

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Though Perry falls more within the pop genre, she is no stranger to EDM, having worked with Zedd on “365” and Calvin Harris on “Feels.” In addition, many of her songs have consistently been remixed by some of the genre’s biggest names, including Tiësto, Oliver Heldens, R3HAB and Kaskade. Beyond the special effects, Perry’s performance is bound to be noteworthy as she announced her pregnancy in March and is due to give birth this summer.

“I’ve always wanted to be a part of the fun of Tomorrowland, and have been following the amazing innovation, technology, and invention that this festival has always been about for a long time,” Perry said in a statement. “I’m so glad to be a part of this version, and I hope my set makes you smile.”

Tomorrowland co-founder Michiel Beers believes that although the festival is virtual, its interactive nature and never-been-done-before design will replicate the energy of the true Tomorrowland experience.

“Since we started this project and all the ideas came together, we immediately felt an enormous energy and lots of positivity from everybody involved,” Beers said. “For us it’s a bit re-inventing the festival experience, but we truly believe that we can bring the spirit of Tomorrowland and entertainment at the highest level to people and homes around the globe.”

Though the in-person festival already attracts visitors from over 200 countries each year, going digital has the potential to make Tomorrowland more accessible than ever — hence the “Around the World” portion of its name. This has been made possible by time-zone friendly hours for attendees from North America, South America and Asia (4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Central European Summer Time) and tickets that start at just €12.50.

“Tickets for the festival notoriously sell out within minutes – millions of people try to purchase tickets each year. But now, everyone has the opportunity to attend and be a part of it at a fraction of the price,” Beers said. “Plus, the digital festival is open for everyone, without borders or age-limits.”

Other artists on the Tomorrowland Around the World lineup include Adam Beyer, Afrojack, ANNA, David Guetta, Gryffin, Martin Garrix, San Holo, Steve Aoki and Tiësto. Tickets can be purchased via Tomorrowland’s website.

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