DigiTour Media
DigiTour Media was a touring and social media festival production company, known for producing the world's first social media tour.[1] DigiTour events are held in venues such as theaters, amphitheaters, and parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The tour began as a showcase for social media stars from YouTube, but its roster of performers has now expanded to include Vine, Twitter, and Instagram stars as well as traditional pop music stars.
DigiTour | |
---|---|
Genre | pop, rock, alternative rock, hip hop |
Location(s) | United States, Canada, United Kingdom |
Years active | 2010–present |
Founded by | Meridith Valiando Rojas, Christopher Rojas |
Attendance | 2011: 3,500 2012: 6,000 2013: 18,000 2014: 110,000 2015: 300,000 |
Website | thedigitour |
Overview
DigiTour Media produces live events and unique content that features some of the most popular acts on YouTube.[2] DigiFest NYC, a full-day festival property owned by DigiTour, is typically held on the first Saturday of June in New York City.[3] Many of the acts at DigiTour events do not get their music played on the radio yet continually sell out DigiTour's multiple events with their tens of millions of fans.[4]
DigiTour has secured multiple brand sponsorships from companies such as Intel, Google, Sony, and Gibson.[5] On May 15, 2014, the company announced strategic investments from Ryan Seacrest and Advance Publications, parent company of Conde Nast.[6]
History
DigiTour Media was founded in 2010 by music executive Meridith Valiando Rojas and multi-platinum music producer Christopher Rojas.[7] DigiTour has produced over 70 events as of 2013,[8] including all-day festivals, which feature 40–80 artists, as well as month-long tours.[9]
The first DigiTour took place in 2011 and was sponsored by YouTube.[10] The 27-city tour began with a multi-camera livestream at the Google Headquarters in Mountainview, California, on April 8, 2011.[10] Top musician Britney Spears attended the opening night of the tour at the El Rey Theater.[11]
The second DigiTour took place in 2012 and traveled to 18 cities including Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Orlando, Toronto, and New York City.[12]
The first DigiFest took place on June 1, 2013, at Terminal 5 in New York City and was headlined by Pentatonix and Allstar Weekend.[3] DigiTour 2013 showcased the most popular British YouTube personalities. Over 11,000 fans attended shows in Chicago, Toronto, Philadelphia, and New York.[13]
DigiFest LA took place on December 14, 2013, and was dubbed the largest YouTube music festival by Just Jared.[14] The event featured over 50 performances and was headlined by rapper Hoodie Allen.[15] Teen actors Bella Thorne, Madison Pettis, Blake Michael, and Jake Short also made on-stage appearances, with James Maslow of Big Time Rush and Darren Criss of Glee in attendance.[16][17]
Nearly 100,000 fans attended DigiTour events in the United States, Canada, and Europe in 2014.[18] The company and Disney Music Group formed in June 2017 RMI Recordings, a new label for "digital-first" talent.[19]
Notable performers
Notable DigiTour and DigiFest entertainers include:
- Dylan Dauzat
- Christina Grimmie
- Demi Lovato
- Pentatonix
- Fifth Harmony
- Troye Sivan
- Noah Cyrus
- Hoodie Allen
- Bella Thorne
- Jacob Sartorius
- Tyler Oakley
- Jack & Jack
- Bea Miller
- Cimorelli
- Karmin
- Madison Pettis
- Cameron Dallas
- Loren Gray
- Nathan Triska
- Sophia Kameron
- Blake Gray
- Luna Blaise
- Raegan Beast
- Jonah Marais
References
- DigiTour Media LLC (2013-04-17). "The DigiTour Presents: DigiFest NYC - June 1st at Terminal 5". PRLog. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
- "Meridith Valiando Is Bringing YouTube To Concert Halls". Forbes. 2012-02-18. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
- "DigiFest NYC is Kicking Off the DigiTour!". Fanlala.com. 2013-05-01. Archived from the original on 2014-05-12. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
- Coscarelli, Joe (2014-04-20). "The Weird World of Internet Fame - New York Magazine". Nymag.com. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
- "Hello® Teams Up with The DigiTour for Digifest LA 2013". Reuters. 2013-12-12. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
- Todd Spangler (2014-05-15). "Ryan Seacrest, Advance Publications Invest in DigiTour, a YouTube Concert Promoter". Variety. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
- "Meridith Valiando Is Bringing YouTube To Concert Halls". Forbes. 2012-02-18. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
- "The Youtube Music Festival DigiFest hits NYC June 1st". SoundCtrl. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
- "The DigiTour: YouTube's First Ever Tour!". Kidzworld.com. 2011-02-17. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
- "Official Blog: The DigiTour: Live from Google HQ!". Youtube-global.blogspot.com. 2011-04-07. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
- "Britney Spears Goes Undercover at L.A. Concert | E! Online UK". Eonline.com. 2011-04-13. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
- "DigiTour 2012 Brings YouTube Music Stars To Stage". hypebot. 2012-02-18. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
- "The British Are Coming to DigiTour 2013". Business Wire. 2013-08-28. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
- "Bella Thorne, Rebecca Black and Noah Cyrus hit DigiFest LA - PICS". Sugarscape. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
- "Hello® Teams Up with The DigiTour for Digifest LA... - MONTCLAIR, N.J. and LOS ANGELES, Dec. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/". Prnewswire.com. 2013-12-12. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
- "We Got to Check Out DigiFest LA 2013". Fanlala.com. 2013-12-17. Archived from the original on 2014-05-12. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
- "James Maslow | alexisjoyvipaccess". Alexisjoyvipaccess.wordpress.com. 2013-12-21. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
- Jarvey, Natalie (2014-05-15). "Ryan Seacrest Adds YouTube Event Firm DigiTour to Investment Portfolio". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2015-03-07.
- Gensler, Andy (June 20, 2017). "Disney Music and DigiTour Media Co-Founders Launch RMI Recordings Label: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved October 22, 2018.