BIGO Technology (BIGO), the company responsible for popular new age communication platforms like Bigo Live (live streaming) and Likee (short-form videos), will host its second annual BIGO Awards Gala at 8.00 p.m. PHT (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.
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.
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 of the notable winners from this year's Gala was Bigo Live’s top Philippines Broadcaster Jean Angela Drilon, Bigo ID: 32871942. With over 1.2 million fans on Bigo Live, Jean Angela Drilon gained her popularity by showcasing her singing talents through her daily marathon singing sessions.
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 and key locations in 23 countries worldwide, including EDSA Avenue, Manila. 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.