Silk Sonic is a R&B supergroup comprising Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, who released their debut album, An Evening With Silk Sonic, in late 2021.

As the album campaign moves into 2022, it is within Fortnite where the heaviest digital marketing seems to be happening. Atlantic Records, their record label, has worked with Epic Games, publisher of Fortnite, to create a whole new world for Silk Sonic, where music and fashion are the main focus.

In early 2020, Fortnite created its Icon Series designed to bring “the artistic vision, personality, and attitude of top creators to Fortnite”, having previously worked with huge music acts such as Marshmello and Major Lazer.

The partnership with Silk Sonic is the latest one in the rolling Icon Series where players can buy in-game outfits based on the group’s retro 1970s look. They will also be able to hear Silk Sonic tracks on the in-game radio station, a first for Fortnite.

The newly launched Icon Radio feature is accessible when gamers are in their vehicles and it is hosted by Bootsy Collins who plays Silk Sonic alongside solo tracks by Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak.

“Gaming has become a key touchpoint for music marketing and it’s crucial that we’re meeting fans where they live – which means hours and hours of immersive gameplay on platforms like Fortnite,” said Kevin Weaver, president, Atlantic Records, West Coast. “Working with the band to execute their creative vision, for this incredible multi-faceted and first of a kind activation with our amazing partners at Epic Games, has been such a massively rewarding experience and I can’t wait to see it all brought to life.”

The Silk Sonic Set Outfits, where players can pick either musician as the template for their game character’s fashion approach, launches on 11th February. For those desperate to don their virtual clothing early, they could compete in the Silk Sonic Cup tournament from 7th February to get them before they opened to the wider gaming world.

They can also get early access to their “signature Silk Sonic Spray” in the game, although we are unclear about the olfactory dynamics within the digital realm.

They are both (relative) old hands at Fortnite, with Anderson .Paak performing a Spotlight Concert Series in the game back in September 2020 while Bruno Mars created the ‘Leave The Door Open’ emote for gamers in April 2021.

It is a hugely ambitious undertaking and shows there is still plenty of life in the music x marketing + metaverse equation.