Wave, the innovative platform for virtual concerts that has already hosted performances by artists like John Legend and The Weeknd, has established an agreement to introduce its virtual concert experiences to China through a collaboration with Tencent Music Entertainment Group.

According to a joint announcement from the companies, this agreement also involves Tencent acquiring a minority ownership position in the music service.

As part of this partnership, TME will broadcast Wave’s virtual performances throughout China on its various platforms, which include QQ Music, Kugou Music, Kuwo Music, and WeSing.

This represents another significant advancement for Wave in its mission to establish a new method for artists to deliver live events to their fans, and it unlocks a substantial market for U.S. artists seeking to connect with audiences in China.

The two organizations are working together to integrate Wave’s virtual events into Tencent’s TME Live production capabilities.

“A key initial step will be to feature Western artists we collaborate with in a concert series specifically for China,” explained Wave’s CEO, Adam Arrigo. “Our goal is to provide exceptional service to artists and create a platform for them to conduct worldwide virtual tours.”

Arrigo also envisions possibilities beyond Tencent’s music platforms, with potential expansion into Tencent’s widely-used gaming environments.

Artists stand to gain from new income opportunities, such as in-event tipping, virtual gifting, and merchandise sales, which are currently less developed in the U.S. market.

“These revenue models are well-established within Asian live-streaming communities, offering a significant chance to reach new audiences and utilize these methods in the West, where adoption may take more time,” Arrigo stated. 

Tencent has long been a leading force in China’s gaming and entertainment sector, through its popular online games, the WeChat messaging application, and its payment solutions.

“This collaboration with Wave signifies an important advancement in our ongoing efforts to combine technology and music, with the aim of enriching the immersive music experience for our users, increasing engagement, and encouraging content discovery,” said TC Pan, Group Vice President of Content Cooperation of TME, in a released statement. “Through this strategic alliance, we will continue to expand the scope of music services via virtual performances and cultivate a more comprehensive music ecosystem.”