Jump to content

Robbie: Daily News

Sparkle
in Robbie Williams and Take That

Featured Replies

  • Replies 3k
  • Views 292.5k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

UK start-up backed by Robbie Williams and Sheryl Crow launches music streaming and karaoke on Sky Q

 

 

A music streaming service backed by Robbie Williams, Sheryl Crow and Alesha Dixon launches today with Sky’s Q box which will allow music fans to sing karaoke with their favourite artists, play music quizzes or tune into more than 10,000 radio stations.

 

ROXi, backed by record company giants Sony, Universal and Warner, is the brainchild of entrepreneur and CEO Rob Lewis, who claims its services will be available in 500 million TVs worldwide by the end of 2022.

 

As well as streaming as many songs as Spotify, ROXi uses the TV set to offer more experiences on top, or, in Lewis’s words, “shared entertainment experiences that bring friends and family together for great fun times, delivered on the biggest screen in the home — the television”.

 

 

 

That will include original music videos and other visual images to accompany tracks which can be provided by ROXi or uploaded by viewers.

 

Alongside music industry shareholders, backers include McLaren founder Ron Dennis, entrepreneur Nigel Wray and ex-TomTom techie Mark Gretton. Music companies Universal, Sony and Warner are also shareholders.

 

The service is available for £6.99 a month.

 

Lewis, who set up the first commercial music streaming service, MusicStation, with Vodafone in the noughties, said: "This makes sure Sky subscribers can have everything - movies, sport, Netflix and now music, karaoke and interactive games."

 

Sky Q subscribers can already get Spotify through the platform but ROXi is a totally different product, he said. "It's all about getting your friends and family a shared experience, rather than individually watching their phones or tablets. For a party, karaoke, music trivia, yoga or meditation, the big screen is just better. We're not trying to compete with Spotify, we're trying to be the ultimate way to for families to enjoy music together on the big screen."

 

It is thought ROXi has an exclusive agreement with Sky but Lewis is keen to strike more deals with platforms overseas.

 

Analysts said it has been increasingly important for Comcast-owned Sky, like Virgin and BT, to prove it can offer more to subscribers than the online channels now available through devices such as the simple Amazon Fire Stick.

 

The broadcaster has gone further than some payTV rivals to bite the bullet on offering rival content makers such as Netflix and YouTube through its platform.

 

 

Lewis said the digital TV technology that allows ROXi to work had been far slower to revolutionise the way consumers watch television than Internet's arrival to mobile phones. "The iPhone turned up and the whole new ecosystem for apps built up in no time at all around two major players [iOS and Android] but the television market remains very fragmented, probably because you replace your mobile every 12 or 18 months so you get the latest technology whereas you only change TV every seven or eight years when you move house or get divorced."

 

The arrival of Netflix, he said, has changed all that, driving ever growing numbers of viewers to online TV services including SkyQ.

 

Lewis got Robbie Williams interested after talking to his manager. "Robbie and his wife are cool and supportive of all things British."

 

He said Sheryl Crow came to ROXi after an introduction from a US public relations executive. "We went down to Nashville and visited her at her ranch - a very cool place. We gave her a demo and she loved it. She's really into family and is against the idea of children spending all their time on screens on their own. She came on board straight away."

 

She agreed to help publicise the business in return for shares.

 

Ron Dennis also invested after Lewis gave him a demonstration and is now one of the biggest shareholders.

 

"It's good because we don't have one large venture capital investor, it's several wealthy, successful entrepreneurs backing another wealthy entrepreneur."

 

He said he would eventually like to float the company on the London Stock Exchange. "I'd rather take the company up to a £500 million valuation than let it get bought by a big US tech company and the best way to do that is often through an IPO," he said. "It's really sad when a national champion gets swallowed up so I'll be doing my level best to make sure that doesn't happen.

 

https://www.standard.co.uk/business/robbie-...s-a4542641.html

He is changing from a music recording business man to a businessman who also records records from time to time
He is changing from a music recording business man to a businessman who also records records from time to time

 

 

Yes, fingers in several pies Elisabeth ..

  • 2 weeks later...
For months it was not that quiet in Robbie land since it was the last two weeks. Also not much on Ayda's account. Holidays are over. Is he in the studio for the Christmas album? I am wondering...curiosity :-)
For months it was not that quiet in Robbie land since it was the last two weeks. Also not much on Ayda's account. Holidays are over. Is he in the studio for the Christmas album? I am wondering...curiosity :-)

 

 

We are all curious , he better hurry up :whistle:

Yes please @ Christmas!

 

 

& so say all of us :teresa:

indeed, really quiet, this did happen the last times when Colette and BB had been presented to the world. I don't think we will have another baby. Maybe a hair transplant? :-) But also Ayda is quiet on her Insta aside of Teddy's birthday. Where are they? Switzerland? UK? Back in the US?, maybe Rob is doing the next UTR or the tracks for the Christmas album reloaded. I am not following any one of the band to have evidence. Not a good detective....curious nevertheless which is quite strange to be about a popstar in my age :-)
indeed, really quiet, this did happen the last times when Colette and BB had been presented to the world. I don't think we will have another baby. Maybe a hair transplant? :-) But also Ayda is quiet on her Insta aside of Teddy's birthday. Where are they? Switzerland? UK? Back in the US?, maybe Rob is doing the next UTR or the tracks for the Christmas album reloaded. I am not following any one of the band to have evidence. Not a good detective....curious nevertheless which is quite strange to be about a popstar in my age :-)

 

His Dad hasn't given any clues about seeing any of the children so I don't think they're in UK.

 

Strange that all the holiday snaps have stopped. Do you have to quarantine in the US if you've been in Europe?

 

I don't know enough about the rules.

well, they would Quarantain in their house than and still be able to post pictures

That's true - maybe they're too busy with family stuff

  • 4 weeks later...

Robbie Williams cuts a fashionable figure in a leather jacket and a flat cap as he steps out with stylish wife Ayda Field for a spot of shopping in Milan

 

u4QVhQB.jpg

 

qZ0ys7U.jpg

 

dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-8870611/Robbie-Williams-steps-stylish-wife-Ayda-Field-spot-shopping-Milan.html

Aww it's nice to see him out and about.

 

Looking good too. :wub:

 

So now we know they're in Milan then.

Go to topic listing

Recently Browsing 0

  • No registered users viewing this page.