A secret identity, hidden clues, and an exclusive livestream—how Underoath turned curiosity into fan engagement and preorders.
Most artists announce an album, drop a few singles, and hope for engagement. Underoath took a different route. Instead of relying on algorithms to generate excitement, they created intrigue, built a story, and made fans work to unlock access.
The result? More engagement, more data, and more direct sales.
Here’s how they did it.
The Band That Didn’t Exist
A masked band called Locus Ultra appeared out of nowhere. No backstory, no press—just a name, a look, and a handful of cryptic hints.
They played five shows, kicking off on the Emo’s Not Dead Cruise and wrapping up in Tampa. But something felt familiar. Band members were spotted in the crowd. The drummer’s signature red bandana kept showing up. The visuals had callbacks to Underoath’s past.
Fans put the pieces together—Locus Ultra was actually Underoath.
And just as they figured it out, the band pulled off their final move.
The Final Show—If You Could Unlock It
Underoath ended the Locus Ultra run with a livestreamed show directly to their Shopify store using Single. But it wasn’t open to everyone.
- The final Locus Ultra livestream
- First access to the album preorder
- A full front-to-back album preview
Why This Worked
Instead of just dropping an album and hoping for attention, Underoath made the rollout an experience. Fans weren’t just consuming content—they were chasing clues, solving a mystery, and actively participating in the campaign.
And while fans got exclusive access, Underoath walked away with:
- A high-intent email list—not just casual followers, but engaged superfans.
- Better insights—who’s willing to dig in, who’s buying, who’s paying attention.
- More direct sales—processed straight through Shopify, no third parties in the way.
Most artists rely on social media to create hype. Underoath built their own moment—and captured all the value that came with it.
Every artist will have a moment of attention. The question is: do you have the systems in place to turn that attention into something lasting?
Feeling Inspired?
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