Pokémon is in a licensing frenzy this year as the company celebrates its 25th anniversary, and this week announced it has come to an agreement with Universal Music Group to have Post Malone star in a video and concert.
The Pokemon Company International broke the news as musician-slash-Pokemon-fan Malone made the announcement on a YouTube video.
Taking place on Feb. 27—better known as Pokémon Day—the event will be an online party not just for Pokémon fans but for all music fans around the world. It will also serve as the launch activation for the franchise’s year-long P25 Music program. The Pokémon Company International has teamed up with Universal Music Group to bring this concert and more musical events to life throughout 2021 as part of P25 Music.
P25 Music is a collaboration with some of music’s biggest names to create new songs, styles, and pop-culture moments, all through the lens of Pokémon. Pop icon Katy Perry was announced last month as the program’s premier artist.
Perhaps not surprisingly, since both artists were kids growing up as Pokemon made its debut, both Perry and Malone are long-time Pokemon fans, and in the YouTube video Malone is seen holding the iconic red and white ‘Pokeball’ as he takes the stage. “I’ve been a Pokémon fan for a long time, so the opportunity to headline the Pokémon Day concert celebrating 25 years is awesome,” said Post Malone.
The concert will be free to view on the official Pokémon YouTube channel, Pokémon’s official Twitch channel, and on Pokémon’s 25th anniversary website, beginning at 7 p.m. EST / 4 p.m. PST on Feb. 27. Pokémon will unveil more P25 Music details at the end of the concert.
The concert, however, just touches the array of events and brand activations the Pokemon Company has planned for this month and the rest of the year. In anticipation of the concert, The Pokémon Company International will host several celebratory activations across the brand in the week leading up to the virtual music event. In addition to the previously announced Pokémon GO Tour: Kanto event on Saturday, Feb. 20, The Pokémon Company International will distribute a special password on Feb. 25 for players of the Pokémon video game franchise to add a special Pikachu to their Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield games.
In keeping with the music theme for the year, this Pikachu knows the move Sing, which it can’t ordinarily learn. On Feb. 27, fans can tune in to Pokémon TV, either on the web or by downloading the app, for a curated selection of music-themed episodes of the popular Pokémon animated series as they prepare for the big Pokémon Day concert with Post Malone in the evening. Fans can expect more announcements that week from across the franchise.
Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world.