It has been long since Weeknd took his fans on an eventful ride with an awe-inspiring performance. The fortunate wasn't looking likely at this point in time. But thanks to technology, the wait eventually came to an end on Friday – the singer rolled out a brand new song which he performed with Doja Cat.

Well, certainly the times have changed, so the performance couldn’t be like one of those pre-COVID shows where the shouting and whistling of the audience would sometimes outshine a singer’s trickiest chorus. To match the call of today, the performance was an augmented reality, interactive livestream that took place on the 3D TikTok platform. In order to emphasize the singer’s appearance, the event was interestingly titled, The Weeknd Experience.

TikTok branded Weeknd’s performance as ‘the first-ever in-app cross reality experience.’ The performance lasted 20 odd minutes featuring 5 songs - backed up with top-notch interactive technology and 3-dimensional visuals.

From enhanced capacity to the realistic music atmosphere, the TikTok event was in fact a step ahead from previous not so cheering virtual concerts. Almost every fan all across the globe is missing the tremendous energy of concerts that they are used to. As a matter of fact, the event, to some extent, made up for the craving of fans and of course, it wouldn’t be right to compare it with in-person concerts.

The performance was the part of the effort to raise funds and gather support for the Equal Justice Initiative which seeks to put an end to crime based on the difference in the race.

In the light of support needed, it seems like the correct cause to promote thorough an event of this level. Prior to the show, Weeknd put up the poster of The Weeknd Experience on Instagram captioned, “First time experience. Enjoy and also support the Equal Justice Initiative for racial equality on the TikTok app.”  

The Weeknd graced the virtual stage in the avatar form. The attire he donned was reminiscent of his latest album After Hours – apparating over out of a fiery blaze sporting oversized sunglasses, and a nice bright red jacket.

Over the weekend, The Weeknd Experience will be replayed for international fans to enjoy – available across countries from South Africa, Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan. The Weeknd merchandise from the event is also up for grabs on the Weeknd’s website, with all the proceeds set to the benefit of the Equal Justice Initiative.