Kuala Lumpur, 19 January 2021: BIGO Technology (BIGO), the company responsible for popular new age communication platforms like Bigo Live (live streaming) and Likee (shortform videos), will host its second annual BIGO Awards Gala 2021 at 8 p.m. MYT (GMT +8) on January 21 to celebrate the resilience of its broadcasting community throughout the past year. The event is set to take place through Bigo Live’s very own Music Livehouse channel (Bigo ID: music), with dozens of broadcasters being recognized and awarded. This year’s theme is “Connecting the World,” so BIGO specifically designed the event to commemorate the platform’s leading streamers from across the globe for just how far they have come during such a tumultuous year.
To coincide with the fact that this year’s event is completely virtual, BIGO plans to kick it off with opening remarks from none other than Bigo Live’s own virtual mascot DINO to get the
party started. More than 72 families, which are formed by groups of users within the Bigo Live app, and 78 broadcasters will be honored at the annual Gala, with BIGO planning to highlight each person’s success throughout the year. The four categories of award winners are “Top Regional Broadcaster,” “Top Regional Family,” “Top Global Broadcaster” and “Top Global Family”; indicating the best of the best in both individual regions and globally.
This year’s selected broadcasters come from 150 different countries and regions around the world. “COVID-19 has forced us to physically distance ourselves from the people we love most and the vast majority of events have moved to a virtual setting, which has caused live streaming to emerge as the best channel for connecting people from all over the world to share experiences real-time,” said a spokesperson from BIGO Technology.
“Despite the pandemic, Bigo Live users have proven that you don’t have to be together physically to form meaningful connections. We’re so proud of how our users have supported each other during such a challenging year and are excited to celebrate the impact they’ve made in connecting the world through live streaming. And because this year’s event is entirely virtual, we anticipate an even larger audience than last year.”
The event will also feature a variety of performances put on by broadcasters themselves, which include fire dances, DJ sets, K-pop dances and Urdu songs. With more than 400 million global users in total, these performances are intended to reflect the diverse and global audiences who utilize Bigo Live everyday. This year’s Gala will also include exciting new ways for the audience to participate in the event virtually. By voting for their favourite broadcasters, families and performances, audience members will get tickets that can be used in the lucky draw in return. Some of this year’s prizes include a Dino pillow as well as virtual gifts like pendants, entrance effects, badges and medals, which are specifically designed for the Gala.
One notable winner from this year’s Gala was Bigo Live’s top Malaysia Broadcaster Joanne Tan, Bigo ID:Joannebaby. With over 140,000 fans on Bigo Live, Joanne Tan gained her popularity by showcasing her dancing talent through as well as connecting with her fans by showing them snippets of her everyday life and interacting with them.
“I am so happy to have been awarded as the top broadcaster in Malaysia,” said Joanne. “When Malaysia went into the first Movement Control Order (MCO) in March last year, there was so much uncertainty as to how life was going to be, but I am glad to have found Bigo Live to keep myself entertained. I still remember how nervous I was when I went live for the first time during that period and was encouraged by the heartwarming response provided by the Bigo Live community. It has been an incredible journey since then and it’s amazing how Bigo Live has been constantly engaging with its broadcasters and providing the community with a wide range of activities to keep entertained during the MCO. I am honoured to be a part of this journey and look forward to more exciting times with the Bigo Live community.” Top Malaysia Broadcaster: Joanne Tan, ID:Joannebaby
Each winner will receive a medal and gift box for their achievement, as well as in-app rewards. They will also be featured on a variety of billboards, which are located in landmarks in 23 countries worldwide. As live streaming becomes a leading form of infotainment, the top broadcasters on Bigo Live are becoming celebrities in their own right, with their fans celebrating their success all over the world.
To watch BIGO’s upcoming annual Gala, you can tune in directly via the Bigo Live app which can be downloaded at: https://bigolive.onelink.me/sG8X/2021GALAPRGLOBAL.
