Cardi B, Sombr, Doja Cat, and Lorde have made use of the city’s spontaneous energy to give their fans unique experiences
The day after the MTV Video Music Awards, Doja Cat told her fans to meet her in Union Square in New York City. There, an old school phone booth was set up (sponsored by Spotify) where fans took pictures and picked up the phone to hear snippets of her new album, Vie. Doja Cat herself stopped by that afternoon, decked out in an Eighties-inspired outfit that fits her new music’s sound and aesthetic, to pass out roses and greet the massive crowd that took over the park.
These days, that’s a pretty standard scene in NYC: Artists have become infatuated with the city once again and are promoting their albums with unique pop-up experiences and promo tactics that lean into the chaos. Back in April, Lorde doubled down on her big move to Manhattan by inviting her fans to join her in Washington Square Park. So many people flooded the space that the cops shut down her appearance before she could even leave her apartment. She showed up that evening to dance to her new single, which was filmed for her “What Was That” music video.
In late August, Sombr shut down part of Canal Street to perform songs from his debut album, I Barely Know Her, which was released a few hours later. The 20-year-old singer grew up just a few blocks away from where the stage was set up, referring to the portion of the Lower East Side he shut down by its modernized nickname “Dimes Square.”
Another New York native, Cardi B, took a more humorous approach to promoting her long-awaited sophomore album, Am I the Drama? Wearing a Rasta beanie, sweatpants, and a sweatshirt, she laid out physical copies of her album (and all its different covers) on a black comforter while waving around incense sticks for a viral video. Every New Yorker is well acquainted with the dudes hawking everything from purses to Blu-Rays on busy streets.
These situations feel a little less curated and stiff than a pre-scheduled appearance at a pop-up merch experience or hyper-secured CD signing. Each of these artists are leaning into the spontaneity of the city, giving their fans short notice for unique experiences. Plus, the excitement always pays off: It’s difficult to not draw a crowd in the city, even if it’s just based on passersby trying to figure out what the hell is going on. And for the fans who did skip work or school to swing by, it definitely makes for a good story.