Ariana Grande is joining Weverse, a superfan platform owned by HYBE, an entertainment firm managing K-Pop sensation BTS. Weverse is designed for interaction between artists and fans, featuring posts, livestreams, and merchandise sales. The app, described by HYBE as a ‘super app,’ includes machine translation in 15 languages, enhancing global accessibility. BTS member Jin’s recent livestream on Weverse highlighted the platform’s popularity, attracting over 2 million views in just 10 minutes despite initial technical issues.
Launched in 2019, Weverse had over 10 million monthly active users on average in the third quarter of 2023. Notably, nine out of ten users are international, reflecting the app’s global reach. Grande’s upcoming channel follows her partnership with HYBE America, which also manages Justin Bieber and The Kid LAROI. This partnership will extend to Grande’s cosmetics brand, R.E.M Beauty. While the exact launch date of Grande’s Weverse channel is yet to be announced, the news has already excited fans online, with some affectionately referring to her as “Ariana unnie” using a Korean term for older sister.
Grande’s collaboration with HYBE America comes after her reported split from longtime manager Scooter Braun, who has been the CEO of HYBE America since 2021 following a $1.05 billion merger between HYBE and his Ithaca Holdings. The announcement of Grande joining Weverse adds to the platform’s growing roster of international artists. Recently, Japanese pop duo Yoasobi also launched their Weverse channel after attending a state dinner at the White House with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Weverse President Joon Choi emphasized the platform’s appeal to “superfans” known for their passionate engagement. According to Choi, these fans were previously spread across various platforms for different services like purchasing merchandise, watching videos, and communication. Weverse consolidated these services, creating a centralized hub for fan engagement and artist interaction.
HYBE’s strategic expansion efforts are evident in its acquisition of Exile Music, a music label under Spanish language media company Exile Content. This acquisition marks HYBE’s entry into the Latin music market, demonstrating its ambition to diversify and grow its global influence. The addition of high-profile artists like Ariana Grande to Weverse underscores HYBE’s commitment to expanding its reach and enhancing the fan experience worldwide.
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