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Backstreet Boys & Westlife Livestream Seen By More Than 44M Chinese Viewers
A June 24 free livestream by Backstreet Boys, with a brief cameo by Westlife, was watched by more than 44 million viewers on the Chinese WeChat app, developed by Tencent.
The Backstreet Boys and Westlife performances were recorded separately. The Backstreet Boys livestream was sponsored by Lincoln, and produced by 24/7 Productions.
It turned out to be the highest-attended livestream concert on WeChat by an international artist so far. The two-hour show incorporated a special guest appearance from Westlife, broadcast from Smock Alley in Dublin, Ireland, directed by Chris Howe and produced by Driift, who had already collaborated on Westlife’s last WeChat livestream.
See: 28 Million Watch Westlife Livestream In China
The two recordings of Backstreet Boys and Westlife enabled the two bands to duet on the Backstreet Boys’ hit “I Want It That Way,” and Westlife’s “My Love.”
Sasha Duncan, head of production at Driift said, “It’s been a real joy to work with Westlife again as part of such an extraordinarily successful collaboration. Achieving this level of engagement in China is unprecedented for international artists, and also highlights the versatility of the livestream format. Whether it’s a high-end cinematic production or a performance like this, tailored for viewing on mobile devices, we’re proving it’s possible to forge a genuine connection with online audiences.”