Spirit World is IMVU’s first official Virtual Music Festival, presented by electronic duo Spirit Twin. Spirit World will be live streaming on Twitch from July 23rd – 25th, bringing over 50 musicians together on 6 otherworldly stages.

Brooklyn-based duo, Spirit Twin, explore alternate states of consciousness and spirituality to make their distinct brand of otherworldly electronic music. Their sound has been described as “genre-bending”, blending electronic, ethereal, experimental, trap, and hip-hop. Vocalist/producer Anna, originally from North Dakota, brings a haunting yet angelic vocal range reminiscent of fantasy adventure films and Zelda: Ocarina of Time. While Brooklyn-bred producer, Allen, glides silky drums throughout the cortex of their catalog. They released their debut album “Spirit Twin” on February 20th, 2020.

So this is one of the Festival Stages? What kind of music will you play here?

“Spirit World will feature a variety of musical genres ranging from ambient, hyper-pop, techno, rap, hardcore, and much more. This Stage is called the Ambient Forest, and it’s basically our fantasy interpretation of the Ambient Church where we practice healing sound music. Let us show you around!”

How did you become involved in making IMVU’s first music festival?

“Due to the ongoing health crisis, we were quarantined at home all day long and playing around a lot in IMVU. We had previously used the IMVU platform to create music videos (such as Angel 333) and wanted to push it a step further. We were very inspired by collectives like Hurt Free Network and Future Virgo’s Parasite Label, who have been live streaming shows in IMVU since way before lockdown began. We really wanted to harness this energy and bring it to a larger-scale event. We asked ourselves, what would a full-on 3-day festival look like in this digital world? How could we create a unique musical experience using this platform? And that’s how the concept for Spirit World came to be.”

What was the inspiration behind the name Spirit World for this festival?

“Well, the Spirit World is a realm which we are always tethered to but can never experience physically. Musicians are unable to perform on a physical stage currently, which is why we wanted to create a fun and inclusive event where artists could express themselves digitally. Spirit World was born from this thought, and to give artists an opportunity to flex their creative muscles not only musically but also aesthetically with their customized 3D avatars.”

What sets Spirit World apart from past or future online music festivals?

“As musicians, we have seen our revenue streams change completely over the past few months. Artists are doing what they can to keep their audiences entertained from afar but the question remains- how do we create a sustainable future for musicians under these conditions? That is why we decided to create an independent artist benefit fund so that fans can support musicians directly during this event with 100% of proceeds split equally between the performers.”

How do you see the music industry evolving in the next couple of years?

“Social games are currently shaping the future of immersive experiences – especially during lockdown – and the music industry is going to have to catch up.  there are none of the physical, When you merge a fully digital experience with a musical component, mental or structural burdens that usually come with organizing an IRL show. In that sense, it gives power back to musicians who can now create their own experiences and narratives, all the while developing new facets of their digital identity.”

Stay tuned for IMVU’s first official Virtual Music Festival streaming on Twitch from July 23rd – 25th.