Dolly Parton has teamed with Blockchain Creative Labs to launch the “Dollyverse” audience-centric Web3 experience at South by Southwest beginning next week.
Parton will make her inaugural appearance at SXSW on March 18, when she and author James Patterson will appear at Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater to discuss their upcoming novel Run, Rose, Run, which releases March 7. Parton is also slated to release a companion album on March 4.
Moderating the panel will be actress Connie Britton, known for her work on the television shows Nashville and Friday Night Lights. Afterward, Parton will offer a live performance of songs from her Run, Rose, Run album, as well as a few of her hit songs. Callie Twisselman, Kovic, The Brothers Moore and Electra Mustaine are among those opening for Parton and Patterson.
Parton’s performance at ACL Live will be for SXSW badge holders only, and available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The event will be streamed live for free via “Dollyverse” by Eluvio, which will also power the “Dollyverse’s” NFT sales. The “Dollyverse” will release a selection of certified Dolly NFT collectibles, including limited-edition NFTs of the Run, Rose, Run music album, as well as a limited series of Dolly-inspired NFT artwork. In-person attendees at Parton’s performance will be able to claim a free NFT, while fans streaming the event will be able to receive tokens authenticating their participation. The dates for the NFT drops and the “Dollyverse’s” limited run will be announced at a later date.
“There’s almost nothing more important to me than connecting with my fans. And I’m almost always up for trying something new and different,” Parton said in a statement. “I’d say releasing NFTs at my first ever appearance at SXSW, with James Patterson by my side, definitely counts as new and different!”
“Yet again Dolly is at the top of her craft,” Parton’s manager, Danny Nozell, also shared in a statement. “Her goal with new music has always been to use her gifts to connect with people. This partnership with BCL at SXSW, and the launch of ‘Dollyverse,’ provide her a totally new way to do that.”
Blockchain Creative Labs is the first blockchain sponsor for SXSW, where the company will launch major on-site and virtual activations, as well as decentralized content and experiences powered by blockchain. Via the partnership with Blockchain Creative Labs, SXSW will launch its first NFT, while SXSW’s community of artists, filmmakers and brands taking part in the festival will be able to create and distribute for free, or sell directly, NFTs of their work using the SXSW x BCL NFT marketplace within the SXSW GO mobile app.