 | |
Type of site | |
|---|---|
| Founder | Ari Evans |
| Key people | Ari Evans (CEO) |
| URL | maestro |
| Launched | 2015 |
| Current status | Active |
Maestro is an American videolive-streaming service founded in 2015 by Ari Evans. The service was popularized in 2020 following theCOVID-19 pandemic, being used primarily by musicians to host online performances and concerts.
Maestro was founded in 2015 by Ari Evans as awhite-label anddirect-to-consumer company.[1][2][3] The platform shifted its focus to themusic industry following theCOVID-19 pandemic, allowing musicians to livestream performances duringthe lockdown.[1] According to Evans, this shift tripled the company's revenue. In 2021,Sony Music Entertainment invested $15 million in the company, boosting the funding to $22 million as of then.[4][5] The company has hosted livestreams for prominent musicians includingBillie Eilish,Tim McGraw, andPost Malone, and corporations such asEpic Games andViacomCBS. Evans said Maestro aims to "become a one-stop shop for creators in the livestreaming space".[5] Evans also described Maestro as "ifTwitch andSquarespace had a baby".[6]
Maestro allows artists to customize livestreams with interactive tools such as panels and overlays. Panels include static features like chat rooms, social media feeds, and virtual tip jars, while overlays are timed prompts used to encourage audience engagement, such as merchandise purchases or poll responses. The platform also supports direct integration of merchandise stores within livestreams, enabling viewers to buy products without leaving the stream.[3]