Cardi B, Sombr, Doja Cat, Lorde’s NYC Pop-Ups: Unique Fan Experiences

These days, that’s a pretty standard scene in NYC: Artists have become infatuated with the city once again and are promoting their albums with unique pop-up experiences and promo tactics that lean into the chaos. Back in April, Lorde doubled down on her big move to Manhattan by inviting her fans to join her in Washington Square Park. So many people flooded the space that the cops shut down her appearance before she could even leave her apartment. She showed up that evening to dance to her new single, which was filmed for her “What Was That” music video. 

In late August, Sombr shut down part of Canal Street to perform songs from his debut album, I Barely Know Her, which was released a few hours later. The 20-year-old singer grew up just a few blocks away from where the stage was set up, referring to the portion of the Lower East Side he shut down by its modernized nickname “Dimes Square.” 

Another New York native, Cardi B, took a more humorous approach to promoting her long-awaited sophomore album, Am I the Drama? Wearing a Rasta beanie, sweatpants, and a sweatshirt, she laid out physical copies of her album (and all its different covers) on a black comforter while waving around incense sticks for a viral video. Every New Yorker is well acquainted with the dudes hawking everything from purses to Blu-Rays on busy streets.