In a world of monotonous digital content, fans are craving unique live interactions with their favorite artists. We wanted to deliver a buzzworthy experience grounded in an authentic artist moment leveraging the creative capabilities of Lenovo & Intel’s products. Lenovo, Intel, and Universal Music Group (UMG) partnered with multi-platinum breakthrough artist Stephen Sanchez to produce a cinematic live visual album, giving fans the opportunity to discover the electric and seductive story behind the genre-defining debut album Angel Face.
The mission of this program was to create a vibrant music and social-first program ecosystem that pushed boundaries and empowered our artist, Stephen Sanchez, and social creators to unleash their creativity via Lenovo Yoga Book and Lenovo Yoga 9i. The team partnered with a team of designers and creative professionals (visual, audio, graphics, production) to showcase how many creative inputs are needed to produce and debut a live visual album. Through this execution, we aspired to drive engagement and build brand equity with Gen Z and creatives. Together, we were able to inspire a world of “Limitless Possibilities” through music’s universal language, cultural relevancy, and creativity.
Insights showed us that our target audiences – Gen Z creatives and students – are multi-faceted hobbyists who find joy in expressing themselves through creativity, learning new skills, and content creation. They value experiences and focus on community building to feed their passions. It was important for us to partner with an artist that not only resonated with this audience but utilized their creative passions and technology to fuel their success. Stephen Sanchez is a young singer/songwriter who was discovered on TikTok and quickly rose to fame when his single "Until I Found You" went viral.
Stephen’s much anticipated, first full-length album was set to debut September 22, 2023. The album told a story and through this partnership, Stephen was able to work with our team to visually convey what he was thinking when he wrote music for others to see and experience.
By leveraging virtual production and Vu Nashville’s LED studio, we were able to transport audiences to Stephen’s creative by creating an immersive set. Originally set in 1950’s/60’s Nashville, Stephen made a last-minute change to Los Angeles, pushing our creators to design multiple digital sets.
Some may have scoffed at the premise of yet another digital livestream given the onslaught of such events throughout the earliest years of the pandemic. With that in mind, the team focused on crafting an unforgettable experience that would expose Stephen’s fans to Lenovo’s carefully curated brand platform and bring “Angel Face” to life. With the livestream details eventually released on Stephen’s social platforms and promoted by Lenovo’s own channels, the stage was set for a can’t-miss musical experience.
Throughout the activation, UMG and Lenovo tapped into a pair of TikTok creators to highlight their contributions to the live visual album. Designers Andrey Azizov and Karocrafts brought their creative visions to life on set and documented their journey to their audiences, highlighting Lenovo Yoga’s innovative capabilities in the process. The behind-the-scenes footage Andrey and Karo promoted before and after the livestream premiere inspired their audiences to learn more about Stephen's performance and its intimate ties to Lenovo’s products.
On the day of the livestream, Stephen engaged with his fans on social media to drive eyeballs and excitement to the premiere. His constant interaction was crucial to boost engagement – Stephen’s genuine excitement over the performance was infectious, drawing in dedicated fans and new listeners alike. Nearly 70,000 viewers tuned into the 39-minute livestream when it debuted on Oct. 30.
Lenovo and Intel’s presence and powerful technology were apparent in all pre- and post-performance content. In an extended, behind-the-scenes look at “Angel Face: The Live Visual Album,” the Yoga Book and Yoga Slim Pro 9i were featured front and center in the team’s creative journey. Director Joel Edwards, Andrey, and Stephen himself touted Yoga and Intel Evo’s importance to the experience.
Finally, although it wasn’t originally part of the activation, Stephen’s fans were begging for the live visual album to become available to re-watch on YouTube. UMG and Lenovo pivoted to give the audience what they wanted, further pushing Lenovo and Intel’s brand to the forefront of conversation in pop culture. Since releasing on YouTube about a month after the livestream, Stephen’s performance has garnered over 350,000 views
Overdelivering on most benchmarks, the program engaged fans across North America and beyond to tune in and witness the power Lenovo Yoga and Intel Evo brought to bringing "Angel Face” to life.
