When Citi cardmembers gathered for a Jack Harlow performance in Brooklyn, NY, on Oct. 17, it was a grand homecoming of sorts. The occasion marked the revival of the Citi Sound Vault concert platform after a four-year hiatus and took place at the historic Brooklyn Paramount, which reopened this year after a multimillion dollar renovation. And it was just the beginning of the brand’s Sound Vault renaissance.
Launched during Grammy Week in 2017, Citi Sound Vault is a concert series that gives cardmembers exclusive access to performances by major acts (think: Eminem, Madonna, Metallica) in intimate venues that some artists haven’t played since the early days of their careers.
Although Citi pressed pause in the wake of the pandemic, the program has returned with the same core objectives: to reward cardmembers for their loyalty by bringing them closer to the artists they love most, and to highlight the extensive live-event perks available to eligible customers via the Citi Entertainment platform, and the newly relaunched Strata Premier card.
“It’s been very public how much demand for music there has been,” says Ryan Djabbarah, global head of sponsorships, entertainment and experiential at Citi. “So that, along with this card launch and a really exciting 2023 made us feel like we’re back in a big way. The music industry is back in a big way. It just felt like the perfect time to launch [Sound Vault].”
The Citi Sound Vault Brooklyn event, presented by Citi Strata Premier, kicked off in style at a luxurious pre-party within the Paramount at the renowned Ella’s Lounge, named after the “queen of jazz” herself, Ella Fitzgerald. Citi then turned the bottom level of the Paramount into the “Strata Lounge,” and provided cardmembers with craft cocktails and bites made with local flavors, which they enjoyed away from the buzz of the central hall. There was also a QR code that invited attendees to apply for the Strata card.
When it was time for the main event, cardmembers were surprised with an opening performance by Brooklyn-born singer Laila!. Then, on a set that mimicked an intimate living room, Harlow hit the stage on. And yes, the crowd went wild.
“This experience was solely for Citi cardmembers, but obviously, it’s rare to get to see Jack in such an intimate venue,” says Djabbarah. “It definitely is, for our prospects, making sure that if they’re a Jack Harlow fan, they know they need to have a Citi card.”
Beyond the performances, fans could partake in photo moments, like a “Turn Up Your Night” vignette featuring moody lighting and floating clouds, and check out other curated experiences designed specifically for Harlow fans. And while any Citi cardmember was eligible to attend the event, Strata Premier customers were pulled out of various lines and given the VIP treatment.
Looking ahead, Djabbarah says the brand hopes to add more Sound Vault events to its agenda, noting that working with Harlow was “the perfect partnership to get more excitement around the Citi Sound Vault, and more action into the hands of our cardmembers.” Partner: Live Nation.
More Scenes From the Sound Vault Event:
Photo credit: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Citi
