Def Jam Recordings Unveils Virtual Band The Whales
Legendary hip-hop music label Def Jam Recordings is teaming up with Solana-based project Catalina Whale Mixer to create a new musical act centered around NFT avatars. Dubbed The Whales, the virtual band will feature colorful whale avatars from the Solana profile picture (PFP) collection accompanied by music from a host of talented musicians and producers.
Inspired by the Virtual Band Kingship
The concept of The Whales is similar to that of Kingship, another virtual band composed of Bored Ape Yacht Club avatars transformed into band members, with plans to release music throughout the metaverse. Def Jam Recordings is part of the major music label Universal Music Group (UMG), just like Kingship’s parent company, 10:22PM, a Web3-centric sub-label under UMG.
Created by Music Industry Veterans
The studio behind Catalina Whale Mixer, WAGMI Beach, was founded by experienced music professionals who will be shaping The Whales’ musical style. The music is expected to be upbeat and energetic, drawing inspiration from popular non-NFT virtual band Gorillaz and producer Pharrell Williams. The project creator was also involved in The Whales’ creation, unlike Kingship, which was not developed with Bored Ape Yacht Club creator Yuga Labs.
First Music Release This Summer
Def Jam and WAGMI Beach aim to launch The Whales’ first music this summer through both traditional channels and as collectible music NFTs. In addition, they have plans for real-world concerts and festivals and digital metaverse performances. The WAGMI Beach founders are excited to have the support of Def Jam on this exciting venture.
Def Jam: A Pioneer in Supporting New Trends
Def Jam is considered one of the most important music labels of all time, known for its support of new trends in music, starting with early hip-hop. According to Fox, Def Jam was quick to embrace new ideas, making them a perfect partner for this innovative project.