The fusion and international music genres and of fiction and reality was well displayed at the Billboard Music Awards.
The Billboard Music Awards on Wednesday night had lots of interesting innovations and performances that made it very entertaining. But what caught my attention most was the performance of Medellin by Madonna and colombian singer Maluma, because it signals two key trends in media and entertainment: The fusion of music genres and the diffusion of virtual reality.
The Fusion Of Music Genres
The fusion of pop and reggaeton stars as they perform a song in Spanish, with a mix of pop and Latin rhythms, represents the first trend. The fact that Billboard featured this song, launched just two weeks ago, recognizes the demand for music that appeals to an increasingly diverse audience with a global mindset. Maluma has worked on similar ventures with Shakira, and keep in mind Cardi B won the Best Rap Song award on Wednesday for I Like It (approaching 1 billion views on YouTube), which she sings with Bad Bunny from Puerto Rico and J Balvin from Colombia.
As a digital economist, my mind goes to the drivers of this trend. In a world that will go from 2 billion to 10 billion inhabitants (by 2050) in less than 200 years, merging of nations, cultures, and audiences through travel and migration will only exacerbate the fusion of music rhythms from all over the world. In the U. S., for example, hispanics are hovering close to 20% of the population, and expected to reach 30% within the next couple of decades. Also, digital channels expose consumers to new music genres, generating interest and attention to new musical horizons that they were not exposed to in the analog world.
Keep in mind these are generic drivers that can apply to many other forms of art. So don’t be surprised as you see other creative sectors experience the same trend, like film, TV, performing arts, and others.
The Diffusion Of Virtual Reality
In the Madonna-Maluma performance, you may have noticed multiple holograms of Madonna dancing in unison with the real Madonna. The distinction between reality and fiction gets harder the smaller is the device. Watching it in a mobile device, the only reason I knew it was a hologram was because it faded in the air at some point (try it out; do I need glasses?).
The use of holograms for music performances is not new. Recall Michael Jackson’s hologram performance at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards.
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USA — Music Billboard Music Awards: Madonna-Maluma Duet Signals Key Trends In Media And Entertainment