The next time you do karaoke it will probably be in the metaverse

AS an elaborate digital double of the physical world, the metaverse is full of possibilities for music lovers. They will be able to access a multitude of options such as joining their friends' avatars at a concert or even participating in a giant karaoke session.

This unusual project of karaoke in the metaverse comes from Taiwanese start-up XRSpace, founded in 2017 by the former CEO of HTC, Peter Chou. It recently launched PartyOn, a metaverse dedicated specifically to music performances.

In this digital space of the future, music fans will be able to sing through their avatars. All they need is a virtual reality headset, such as those marketed by Pico, Rokid, Meta and even XRSpace.

Once your headset is on, budding singers will be able to choose their favorite song from a catalog of over 17,000 licensed tracks. But don't expect to find karaoke classics like Queen's "I Want to Break Free" or "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion. PartyOn's catalog includes a selection of songs performed by Chinese artists and songs that are particularly popular on TikTok.

Reinventing the musical experience

While this musical repertoire may come as a surprise to some, it can be explained by XRSpace's intention to launch PartyOn only in China at first. Starting in February, the start-up will organize a series of virtual events, music festivals and even a singing contest in its metaverse.

For Peter Chou, PartyOne is an example of the range of possibilities the metaverse offers for the music industry."XRSPACE is devoted to pioneering metaverse experiences in the Web 3.0 era, making them more accessible to everyday users," he said. "We are excited to partner with Agora, Pico, and Rokid in this first step towards building a wider metaverse for the music industry, with more wondrous experiences to be shared in the future."

While technology and fashion giants are increasingly investing in virtual worlds, music professionals continue to seek out their path therein. Virtual reality platform Decentraland organized a big festival in October with DJ Deadmau5 and the band The Wombats as headliners. Meanwhile, the Ristband project aims to become a multiplayer concert platform, where music lovers can explore a virtual neighborhood, filled with concert halls and nightclubs.