Sasha Duncan joins Driift as head of production

UK-based concert livestreaming company Driift has hired Sasha Duncan, formerly of BBC television, as head of production.

The Bafta-nominated producer brings more than 20 years’ experience in music TV and production to Driift. At the BBC, she headed large production teams at flagship events such as Glastonbury Festival, Reading Festival, the Mercury Prize, BBC Radio 2 In Concerts and the BBC Proms, with other TV work including V Festival 2020 for ITV and Sing It Loud: Black and Proud for Channel 4.

Duncan, says the company, is already playing a key role in Driift’s upcoming livestream event, Live at Worthy Farm, broadcast from the Glastonbury Festival site on 22 and 23 May. Directed by Paul Dugdale, the five-hour outdoor show will feature exclusive performances from Coldplay, Damon Albarn, Haim, Idles, Jorja Smith, Kano, Michael Kiwanuka, Wolf Alice and more.

Ric Salmon, CEO of Driift, says: “Sasha’s track record speaks for itself. She is one of the most respected figures in music TV, with vast experience of translating excitement from the biggest live shows and festivals into hugely successful broadcast events.

“Being part of the Driift team has been an absolute joy”

“Her knowhow and dynamism is already proving invaluable to Driift as we look to attract the world’s most brilliant artists and directors, and create similar bridges between live performance and this new format we’re building in the global livestream space.”

“Being part of the Driift team has been an absolute joy,” comments Duncan. “The level of creative detail that goes into planning and executing these shows is astonishing, as are the production values, and it’s genuinely humbling to witness the immediacy and passion of audience reactions. There’s been a real spark.

“Obviously the opportunity to work with Glastonbury on the Worthy Farm livestream is incredibly exciting, but it still feels that we’ve only scratched the surface of this format. There’s so much more to come, not only with music but across all other art forms.”

Headquartered in the UK and with offices in North America and Australia, Driift has sold more than 500,000 tickets to audiences in more than 170 countries since launching last year, with shows including Niall Horan, Nick Cave, Biffy Clyro, Andrea Bocelli, Kylie Minogue, Dermot Kennedy, Courtney Barnett, Laura Marling and Birdy.

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