Virtual Cheering together : Studies of Audience-Performer Interactions on live-streaming platforms

Abstract: In the previous two decades, live streaming has become a popular trend in the music industry. From TV and radio broadcast to live streaming on social media, the relationship between audience and performers has been transforming over time. In 2019, due to the sudden spread of Covid-19, the popularity of watching live streaming events reached an unprecedently peak. According to some market studies, this trend will continue even when the pandemic will be over. This research aims to explore how live streaming has changed the interaction between audiences and performers as a consequence of this great event.  In order to understand the current music live-streaming culture, an online survey, interviews and field studies were conducted to obtain insights about potential problems and needs in live streaming. Through the project, a new design feature, the “Cheering” function, is suggested as an additional function to the existing live-streaming platforms, to enhance and enrich the interaction between audience and performers.