Todrick Hall talks Summer Vibes, a music festival you don't need a wristband for
While big-name summer festivals like Coachella and Ultra have already embraced YouTube to live-stream sets for fans who couldn't score a wristband, Summer Vibes aims to be an entirely different affair.
The digital music festival -- hosted by Macy's -- was created specifically for a YouTube audience, and aims to unite viewers from across the globe in an experience that's a little more close-knit.
Naturally, the one-hour event -- which begins Thursday at 8 p.m. ET -- has a lineup featuring several musicians who found fame on YouTube. Performers include American Idol alum and former MTV star Todrick Hall, teen singer-songwriter Macy Kate, North Carolina trio the Gardiner Sisters, and YouTuber AJ Rafael, who announced in 2014 that he was taking a break from the live music scene.
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Hall will be headlining and talked to Mashable about how this event will be entirely different than any music festival you've been to.
"What I think is so cool about this is people are joining a very intimate setting. There are stories of why we wrote these songs," he said.
"It's a very personal situation. Often times at festivals we don't get to see people up close and personal, and this is going to allow people to be like, right in our face. It's just such a personal thing, it's such a personal experience."
Hall says he'll give the first-ever live performances of "Wind It Up" and "Haterz," both songs he wrote for his MTV series Todrick.
From Thursday through June 19, Macy's will donate $1 per viewer -- up to $100,000 -- to Got Your 6, a nonprofit that aims to empower veterans to be leaders in their communities.
For Hall, that was the main motivation for him to join the lineup, as his grandfather was a veteran.
"My grandfather was a veteran, and and have such huge respect for anyone who has fought for our country," he said. "And I have such a great relationship with my grandfather and when you grow up in such a tight circle with someone like that, it gives you a new perspective."
Summer Vibes will air on the Macy's YouTube channel Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.
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