How can you have a second festival when the first one didn’t even happen?!
Billy McFarland’s first-ever attempt at throwing a music festival may have been one of the biggest flops in human history, but that’s not stopping him from trying again.
The convicted felon announced via Twitter that he’s plotting another event in the near future, and he’s already seeking out eager volunteers to make an appearance on the guest list. “🔥 Fyre Festival II is finally happening,” he wrote on the weekend. “Tell me why you should be invited.”
Earlier this month, McFarland interestingly spoke out about his desire to return gracefully to the public eye, writing, “I was one of the most Googled people in the world. What’s next will be the biggest comeback of all time. My plan: get some wins under my belt; rebuild trust, and build an audience so I can build the next media empire.”
As Variety notes, his latest announcement comes shortly after his release from prison last year. The 31-year-old served four years of a six-year sentence after pleading guilty to charges of defrauding investors and scamming ticket buyers. He additionally received a hefty fine of $26 million, which he has vowed to find a way to pay.
NETFLIX Fyre Festival co-founders Ja Rule and Billy McFarland.
McFarland’s first attempt at the exclusive luxury festival imploded in 2016, descending into utter chaos on the Bahamian Island of Great Exuma.
It was advertised as the “cultural experience of the decade”, with McFarland and his business partner Ja Rule enlisting a group of social media supermodels to market the Festival, including the likes of Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid and Emily Ratajkowski.
The festival was made to look glamorous, tropical and fun, with tickets costing upwards of US$10,000 (NZ$16,142).
In reality, attendees of the festival were left stranded with little to no food on the island and many had no tent to sleep in. Remember this doco?
It’s clear that McFarland’s not ready to fade into the shadows just yet. But will his latest venture be a hit or a miss?
We’ll just have to wait and see, but fair to say I won’t be signing up to the ticket pre-sale.
