It is difficult to socialise with anyone new these days. Save the rare interaction with a stranger in the supermarket queue, the new norm of staying at home means we only have existing relationships to sate our social need.
Enter live streaming.
Live streaming is exactly what it sounds like - people in front of their camera broadcasting themselves to others in real-time. As we stay cloistered at home, live streaming has become a popular format for entertainment and connecting with others.
Bigo Live, a mobile live streaming community, has seen a 10 per cent growth in number of users in the first quarter of 2020, and now has more than 400 million users in over 150 countries.
Live streamers are a varied bunch, from singers and dancers to cosplayers and cosmetologists. Wait, what?
Yes, there are all sorts of live streamers and besides being entertained, viewers tuning into live streams also come together and form small social communities.
They can chat with live streamers and other viewers, and even send virtual gifts that will appear as onscreen virtual effects during the live stream.
Here are some popular live streamers you can catch on Bigo Live.
JoAnne
Screengrab via Bigo Live
Bigo Live username: JoAnne
Bigo Live ID: JoAnneChen
Joanne is a Singaporean live streamer with 147,000 followers on Bigo Live. She engages her viewers with her good-humoured personality and regularly participates in Music Livehouse, a channel for live streamers to showcase their talents in dancing and singing.
Zendee
The effects onscreen are virtual gifts viewers can send to live streamers / Screengrab via Bigo Live
Bigo Live username: Zendee
Bigo Live ID: Zendeeofficial
Zendee is a singer from the Philippines who shot to fame after her spontaneous performance of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” in a mall went viral. She went on to sign with record label Warner Music Philippines and has even been featured on The Ellen Show.
On Bigo Live, she regularly belts powerhouse songs for her 516,000 followers. I managed to catch her during a livestream while she was jamming to tagalog songs. I don’t understand tagalog, but I started bobbing along. Alone. In my room.
Renz
Screengrab via Bigo Live
Bigo Live username: Renz
Bigo Live ID: renz_rs
Lorenzo Rangel-Santos (Renz) is a martial arts performer and dancer who made it to the top 30 of “So You Think You Can Dance” season 16.
His style is a fusion of streetdance, martial arts, and music. Besides dancing on his livestreams, he also sings for his viewers, and participates in PK, a mode where live streamers go head to head in a friendly battle to see who is more popular with viewers.
Halle Johnson
Screengrab via Bigo Live
Bigo Live username: HalleLuJah
Bigo Live ID: HalleHallelujah
Besides boasting a dance show alumni, Bigo Live also has an “American Idol” alumni in Halle Johnson.
Halle suffered from debilitating stomach conditions when she was younger. But after her last major stomach surgery in 2015, she embarked on her first independent music tour in America, performing in nearly 30 states within 6 months.
On Bigo Live, the soul pop singer-songwriter and guitarist sometimes performs original music for her fans.
Dr Abhinit Gupta
Screengrab via Bigo Live
Bigo Live username: Dr Abhinit Gupta
Bigo Live ID: drabhinitgupta
Yes, there is really a live streaming doctor. Dr. Abhinit Gupta, also known as “Dr Bollywood”, is a celebrity cosmetologist and trichologist who shares useful advice and tips about total body aesthetics on Bigo Live. During this period, Dr. Abhinit is providing home remedies on how to improve one’s hair and skin.
CrazyPhil
Screengrab via Bigo Live
Bigo Live username: Phil
Bigo Live ID: CrazyPhil
CrazyPhil is the top live streamer in Switzerland who also works as a radio presenter. He is known for his highly engaging and quirky livestreams where he cross-dresses and cosplays as cartoon characters.
Who else is there on Bigo Live?
Screengrab via Bigo Live
Besides the variety of entertainers, there is also a vibrant gaming community on Bigo Live.
There are live streamers for games like League of Legends, Dota 2, PUBG mobile, and even Candy Crush. Besides intense gaming, you can expect commentary and the occasional cheer when live streamers win a game or tsk when they lose.
Some live streamers on the platform drop the activity altogether and prefer to just chat with their viewers. Sweet, for people who are just looking to interact with someone outside their immediate social circle.
There is also a toggle to search via geographical settings if you are looking for live streamers from specific countries.
You can check out more live streamers on the Bigo Live app.
This sponsored post reminds the writer that there are others out there stuck at home.