The 2025 Eurovision Song Contest is hosted in Basel, Switzerland, with Marty Zambotto, also known as Go-Jo, representing Australia with his song ‘Milkshake Man’. Despite making it to the semi-finals, Go-Jo was eventually eliminated. His rise to fame began when his song ‘Mrs Hollywood’ went viral on TikTok in 2023, amassing over 1 billion views.
Dr. Brittany Ferdinands, a senior lecturer in Media and Communications at the University of Sydney, specializes in online viral trends and influencer culture. She emphasizes the evolving role of social media platforms like TikTok in blurring the lines between influencers and musicians, highlighting the critical role of social media in artist exposure and success.
Social media platforms have significantly influenced the music industry, acting as key players in artist discovery and trendsetting. Dr. Ferdinands notes that algorithms on digital platforms facilitate music discovery, enhance artist visibility, and foster interactions between artists and fans, transforming the traditional landscape of the industry.
Apps like TikTok, with its massive user base, have reshaped how musicians cultivate audiences and achieve fame in the contemporary attention economy. The shift towards ‘micro-celebrity’ status underscores the importance of creating engaging online personas and content that resonates with algorithmic trends, transcending conventional avenues of celebrity status.
Global competitions such as Eurovision serve as a lens to examine the symbiotic relationship between social media and artists’ success. Dr. Ferdinands highlights Eurovision’s digital evolution, where fans actively engage with performances in real-time, reshaping the narrative of music consumption and participation in the digital age.
The participatory nature of platforms like TikTok has democratized access to global stages for emerging artists, emphasizing the power of viral moments over traditional media infrastructure. Dr. Ferdinands underscores the transformative impact of TikTok on extending the reach and longevity of performances beyond traditional boundaries, integrating Eurovision’s flamboyance into everyday digital culture.
As social media continues to redefine the music industry landscape, artists and fans alike navigate a new era of music consumption characterized by algorithmic curation, participatory culture, and the democratization of fame. The fusion of music, memes, and visual storytelling underscores the evolving dynamics of artist-fan interactions in a digital ecosystem.
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