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Livestreaming company Mandolin closes down

The Indianapolis, US-based company was founded amid the live music shutdown of spring 2020 and raised $17m in funding

By James Hanley on 24 Apr 2023

Based in Delaware, Firefly has been a regular fixture in the festival season since 2012

Firefly Festival


Livestreaming platform Mandolin has closed down after three years in business.

The Indianapolis, US-based company was founded amid the live music shutdown of spring 2020 and has worked on livestream concerts by acts including John Legend, Lil Wayne and Macy Gray.

It raised US$5 million in seed funding in October 2020 and closed a $12 million Series A funding round in June 2021, acquiring rival NoonChorus later that year. But in a statement, Mandolin has confirmed it has now shut down its operations.

“We are sad to announce that after three incredible years of connecting artists and fans more authentically through digital experiences, we are officially closing down our product and business operations,” says the firm.

“Though we can no longer lead the charge, we firmly believe market power will continue to shift toward better supporting artists in this endeavour”

“We’d like to sincerely thank our clients and partners for their belief in our mission and the time spent helping us develop a platform that truly empowered artists to own their fan relationships.

“Though we can no longer lead the charge, we firmly believe market power will continue to shift toward better supporting artists in this endeavour and we are all so appreciative of the feedback, faith and validation you’ve provided over the years to get us this far.”

Mandolin, which was led by CEO and co-founder Mary Kay Huse, reported that more than 100,000 fans had tuned in to its livestream of AEG Presents’ four-day Firefly Festival from Delaware in 2021, which featured performances from the likes of Billie Eilish, Tame Impala, The Killers, Lizzo and Phoebe Bridgers.

In addition to streaming, Mandolin also offered virtual VIP meet-and-greets with select artists on the line-up via its VIP Suite as part of its Mandolin Live+ platform. Launched in the summer of 2021, Live+ was developed to provide new products and enhancements built specifically for the “hybrid event future” of concerts and festivals.

 


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