W Hotels and Cercle to Host Livestreamed Concert by Monolink at a Castaway Island at W Maldives: Gaathafushi

W Maldives to be First Hotel Featured as the Setting of an Iconic Cercle Production, Following the Likes of the Eiffel Tower, Great Pyramids of Giza & Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni

Gaathafushi Island at W Maldives

If you throw a concert in the middle of the Indian Ocean and there’s no one around to hear it, does it still make a sound? You bet it does. W Hotels Worldwide, part of Marriott International, today announces a collaboration with Cercle, the ground-breaking French media company known for filming and broadcasting music performances in the world’s most awe-inspiring places, to host an unforgettable live concert at Gaathafushi—the private castaway island at W Maldives. Streaming live on July 26, 2021*, the hour-and-fifteen-minute set will feature a performance by Berlin-based electronic musician Monolink with the island’s white sandy beach and turquoise lagoon serving as the stage.

“From our Sound Suite recording studios to our intimate Living Room stages and DJ booths, there is always live music happening at a W hotel somewhere around the world,” said Carly Van Sickle, Senior Director, Global Brand Marketing, W Hotels Worldwide. “For our next act, we’re excited to be collaborating with the visionaries at Cercle to celebrate the beauty and wonder of one of our most beautiful Escapes—W Maldives—through the power of music.”

Cercle has produced and livestreamed some of the most jaw-dropping musical performances ever filmed. From a hot air balloon above Cappadocia, Turkey and the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt to Glacier 3000 in the Swiss Alps and Mont Saint-Michel island in France, Cercle productions have amassed millions of views online. At sundown on July 26th, Gaathafushi Island at W Maldives will join this list of iconic locations, becoming the first hotel to serve as the site of a Cercle show.

“Cercle is all about great aesthetics, culture, nature and music, values which are shared by W, making this collaboration a groundbreaking no-brainer. When two entities have the same goal and vision, everything flows and expectations are exceeded,” said Pol Souchier, Head of Communication at Cercle. “That's why we wanted to collaborate with W Maldives and the resort’s magnificent Gaathafushi Island. It's a location we've been eager to feature on Cercle, and with Monolink, an artist long-awaited on the channel, we're thrilled to celebrate the power of music with our loyal fan base alongside W."

Electronic singer-songwriter Monolink is known for combining melodic techno with dreamy guitar-led folk. His performance will be livestreamed via Facebook, Twitch, and Oculus Venues at 5pm UTC+5*. Cercle will then work their magic to release the official performance video on their YouTube channel in August, which will be broadcast at select W Hotels around the world. Monolink is also releasing a new single today—“Turning Away”—which is now streaming here and on a Cercle-curated playlist on the W brand’s Spotify channel.

This performance in paradise is meant to honor Gaathafushi, the remote island a stone’s throw away from W Maldives. Guests of the Escape can take a two-minute speedboat ride to the secluded beach and enjoy over 76,000 sq ft of tropical playground by swimming in the surrounding lagoon, indulging in a candlelit meal on the beach prepared by a private chef, or simply relaxing and stargazing under a thatched-roof hut. W Maldives also offers an Island Takeover package where guests can book the entire W Maldives property, including Gaathafushi, for the ultimate castaway island experience. The resort is also home to one of the best reefs in the destination with vibrant colors of the coral forest and captivating, diverse marine life right at guests’ doorsteps.

The music won’t stop once Monolink ends his set. Music is the heartbeat of every W hotel and guests of W Maldives can enjoy curated music across the property during pool parties and daily sunset spins by the only Music Curator in the Maldives, Jennifer Dons.

To see Monolink’s performance at W Maldives, watch live on Cercle’s Facebook @cerclemusic or Twitch @cerclemusic and relive the performance on Cercle’s YouTube channel. Stay up to date with the latest and find exclusive, behind-the-scenes content on Instagram at @whotels, @wmaldives and @cerclemusic. For more information, visit w-hotels.marriott.com and cercle.io.

*Date and time are subject to change due to inclement weather.

About W Hotels Worldwide
Born from the bold attitude and 24/7 culture of New York City, W Hotels, part of Marriott International, Inc., has disrupted and redefined the hospitality scene for over two decades. Trailblazing its way around the globe, with nearly 60 hotels, W is defying expectations and breaking the norms of traditional luxury wherever the iconic W sign lands. With a mission to fuel guests’ lust for life, W ignites an obsessive desire to soak it in, live it up and hit repeat. The brand’s provocative design, iconic Whatever/Whenever service and buzzing Living Rooms create an experience that is often copied but never matched. Innovative, inspiring and infectious, the brand’s super-charged energy celebrates guests’ endless appetite to discover what’s new/next in each destination, to see more, feel more, go longer, stay later. For more information on W Hotels, visit whotels.com/theangle or follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. W Hotels Worldwide is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including free nights and Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit MarriottBonvoy.marriott.com.

About Cercle
Cercle is a media company dedicated to promoting artists and venues through exceptional production in order to raise awareness around art, cultural heritage and great sceneries via two mediums: music and video. Every other Monday, one artist plays an hour-long set in a unique setting, followed by an interview via Facebook Live. Cercle has already collaborated with cultural destinations such as the Eiffel Tower, Château de Fontainebleau, Château de Chambord, Montparnasse Tower Panoramic Observation Deck, Bourdelle Museum and more.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Rose Gottwald
Marriott International
rose.gottwald@marriottluxurybrands.com

Alexandra Marín
SEQUEL
amarin@sequel-inc.com