{"id":98819,"date":"2021-01-12T20:51:07","date_gmt":"2021-01-12T20:51:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.musicbusinessworldwide.com\/?p=98819"},"modified":"2021-01-14T12:28:25","modified_gmt":"2021-01-14T12:28:25","slug":"sony-takes-wraps-off-secret-unreal-engine-project-unveils-new-subsidiary-sony-immersive-music-studios","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.musicbusinessworldwide.com\/sony-takes-wraps-off-secret-unreal-engine-project-unveils-new-subsidiary-sony-immersive-music-studios\/","title":{"rendered":"Sony takes wraps off secret Unreal Engine project, unveils new subsidiary: Sony Immersive Music Studios"},"content":{"rendered":"

In May last year, MBW discovered that Sony Music was building a team<\/a> “dedicated to reimagining music through immersive media”. Said team would be using Unreal Engine, the games engine from Fortnite maker Epic Games, in which Sony Corporation acquired a minority stake<\/a> last July, making a strategic investment of $250 million.<\/p>\n

Apart from a few hints within job ads, details about what the new recruits would be working on \u2013 and what division within the wider Sony corporate umbrella they would be working with \u2013<\/em>\u00a0were under wraps. Not anymore.<\/p>\n

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Today (January 12), Sony Corporation of America has announced a new subsidiary called Sony Immersive Music Studios, which is focused on “developing immersive music experiences through the power of creativity and technology”.<\/p>\n

The division is led by digital entertainment veteran Brad Spahr, who according to Sony is “an award-winning developer of next-generation experiences at the intersection of music, immersive reality, and gaming”.<\/p>\n

According to his LinkedIn profile, Spahr was previously Sony Music’s Vice President, Head of Emerging Technology for seven and a half years a role in which he led the company’s “digital strategy related to new verticals such as Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence and Hi-Res Audio”.<\/p>\n

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The first project from the new Los Angeles-based Sony Immersive Music Studios division was unveiled exclusively at the virtual edition of CES 2021 technology conference this week: a “groundbreaking” virtual performance from Epic Records-signed singer songwriter Madison Beer in partnership with Verizon, to showcase songs from her debut album, Life Support.<\/em><\/p>\n

Performing as “an ultra-realistic virtual avatar”, Sony claims that Beer’s performance was “powered by cutting-edge innovations in real-time 3D creation technology”.<\/p>\n

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