The virtual world has truly exploded in the past 12 months. Major artists like Marshmello and Ariana Grande hosted huge virtual concerts in Fortnite in 2021 in the form of virtual avatars. Virtual reality headsets have now become commonplace in homes all over the world. Access to the virtual world has evolved well beyond major labels and the rise of the digital superstar has never been more prominent. Polar embodies this more than anyone else. She is a young independent artist, 3D virtual singer, and dancer who makes a mix of electro-pop, game music, and future bass. She burst onto our screens in September, premiering the music video for her debut release ‘Close To You’ in an exclusive viewing party in the game Avakin Life, where over 660K gamers attended as their virtual avatars. We had the pleasure of speaking with her about her debut year, being a virtual artist, her plans for 2022, and more.

Hey Polar, how are you doing? Let’s kick things off by taking a look at your debut year. A massive year as far as debuts go, did you anticipate things getting so big so quickly?
Hey everyone! It’s only been six months, a year is still far away (laughs). Yeah…It was a very momentous time. Honestly, no, I didn’t anticipate all this. I’m an ordinary girl, who just wants to have fun, write music and dance. I never dreamed so many people would be interested in me. It’s very inspiring.

Did you feel any pressure when entering the dance music scene as one of the first virtual artists in the space?
I was interested, I love that feeling of curiosity and wanting to try something new. I like where I am right now, feeling all this emotional response from my followers on social media. You know, I am watching all the TikTok or YouTube or Instagram trends people do with my songs millions of times and reading all the comments! But I don’t think I am ready to take off the mask and reveal my identity just yet =.) We’ll have to wait and see on that.

What was your inspiration to enter the scene as a virtual artist and did you have any goals in mind for 2021?
I was very much inspired by Hitsune Miku. They were giving huge real live concerts in Japan as virtual singers more than 5 years ago! I thought: “That was so cool then, why don’t I try now? I didn’t know what to expect, to be honest. That all was a huge experiment for me. Looking back, I always wanted to bring cool people around me together, those who are not afraid to be themselves, to goof off, sing loudly, dance and enjoy life. But now I feel so much energy and inspiration! I am going to work hard to create incredible music and walk on a real stage one day!

When COVID hit the world, a lot of artists turned their attention to the online space. Do you feel the pandemic helped kickstart your journey?
That’s hard to tell, really. It’s true, I had my first music video premiere in the metaverse as an in-game watch party in Avakin Life and it was a success, but I do not think that there would be less people without the pandemic… But COVID is hard for everyone and it is important to live life fully – work, dance, laugh, and have fun. I hope I am helping with that a bit =)

The metaverse and virtual events are becoming a major part of the music scene. Do you have any other ideas or plans for the virtual world?
The virtual world will evolve. Before, everyone was surprised by online concerts; now it’s no longer a surprise, there are clothes for sale, fashion shows, work meetings, etc,. My followers even often ask me if I am a game character (laughing). I suppose I kinda look like one. I am definitely planning to give more concerts in metaverse in the near future. Don’t know where it will be yet, but it’s definitely happening.

With a number of releases under your belt, all bringing a new and fresh style each time. How important is it for you to broaden your genre and style with each release?
I like to experiment, I like to mix genres, to come up with something new every time from the cover version for «Hallelujah» by Leonard Cohen to summer festival songs. I don’t want to limit myself and I hope my listeners notice and like it. And, hey, everyone, let’s find something fun and do the biggest TikTok trend together!

You are now getting ready for a huge year in 2022 and are releasing singles including ‘Euphoria’ this month. How is the year shaping up?
I expect this to be the best year of my life. I’m fully immersed in creativity, in writing new songs, in all kinds of experiments. I like that and I also like getting feedback from people who support me. I really appreciate that. So I want to keep experimenting, but at the same time remain myself and enjoy every moment. As a new thing, I am now preparing a song together with a fellow artist. I can’t reveal the name just yet, but it is a very talented music creator who I’m sure will be popular in the near future. And who knows what else could happen! I can only dream, but doing a song together with someone as cool as Rasster would be just wonderful. I am also, of course, a big fan of Marshmello and Ariana Grande =) Actually, there are so many great artists I would like to work with!

Thanks for taking the time to speak with us! Have you got anything you’d like to reveal with our readers?
I would like to give a huge thanks to all those who support me, and let them know I always read their comments. Separately, I would like to thank those who have been with me since the beginning of my career. I would like to wish everyone happiness and health at this time. And… let’s conquer new heights TOGETHER. You are the best!