A photographic tour of Apple’s 50th anniversary parties that took place in major cities around the world from Apple Park to Shanghai.
When it comes to a milestone birthday for a name as big as Apple, there was no way they were going to keep things simple—and rightfully so! In today’s world, reaching 50 in a rapidly developing tech industry is a truly monstrous feat, so it’s only fitting that some of the world’s biggest pop stars, designers, artists, and musicians have showed up to ring it in with Apple.
Leading up to the big day on 1 April, fans were treated to a star-studded lineup of exclusive performances, appearances, and Today at Apple sessions. Every entry on the agenda honoured the impact that the company has had on pop culture, music production, accessibility, identity-building, art, filmmaking, design, and more. Capturing the festivities was none other than the iPhone 17 Pro, immortalising the colours, vibrance, and energy of each location.
APPLE PARK, CUPERTINO
On 31 March, Paul McCartney took to the Apple Park stage as the grand finale of the celebrations. McCartney has been no stranger to Apple’s iOS features, especially Voice Memos, which he used to capture riffs and song fragments on the go. He even appeared in Apple’s 2007 ad for iTunes and iPod, which featured his song “Dance Tonight.”
Steve Jobs himself has cited the legendary artist as an inspiration, making his appearance here all the more meaningful. “My model of business is the Beatles,” said the co-founder and former CEO of Apple. “They were four very talented guys who kept each other’s kind of negative tendencies in check. They balanced each other, and the total was greater than the sum mof the pars. And that’s how I see business. Great things in business are never done by one person, they’re done by a team of people… and we’ve got that at Apple as well.”
APPLE GRAND CENTRAL, NEW YORK
There is no train station in the world as iconic as Grand Central and the only name befitting of commanding a stage set right in the middle of it is Alicia Keys. An artist who has truly done it all and mastered the art of performance from producing to innovation, Keys was one of the first artists to release her discography in Spatial Audio on Apple Music.
Over the last few years, she has collaborated with Apple on numerous projects, including an Apple Music Live performance, and was one of the first Apple Immersive appearances available on Apple Vision Pro. She was a name that couldn’t be left out of the celebrations and it was only fitting that she was given a stage as grand as, well, Grand Central with Tim Cook by her side.
APPLE CARNEGIE LIBRARY, WASHINGTON, D.C.
Washington, D.C.’s celebrations were an ode to Apple’s impact on accessibility and the importance of having tech made for all. Academy Award-winning deaf actor Troy Kotsur was the star of Apple Carnegie Library’s agenda. He joined Roberta Cordano, the first deaf woman to be president of Gallaudet University, and Apple’s Sarah Herrlinger for a meaningful discussion about the future of Deaf creativity.
The rest of the evening also saw other prominent figures in the accessibility space, including disability rights advocate Haben Girma, share their insights and reflections on the impact of having accessible technology—like having an iPhone that can act as a magnifier—and the opportunities that come from it.
APPLE ICONSIAM, BANGKOK
Thai artist Molly YIlom led the pack in Bangkok, bringing her iconic Crybaby universe to Apple Iconsiam. She started her career on her own MacBook Pro during university and has since incorporated iPad Pro and Apple Pencil Pro into her creative workflow. Today, she is the face behind one of the most popular characters in the world today.
The artist led her own Today at Apple session, in which guests were able to create their own version of the character. She hosted visitors from all over Southeast Asia and managed to get some interactive time in with everyone in attendance.
APPLE MYEONGDONG, SEOUL
New-gen K-pop sensation CORTIS took over the Apple Myeongdong store with their high-octane tunes and vocals for Apple’s 50th anniversary celebrations. They sat down with Apple Music and their fans for a candid chat about their journey to the top with Apple by their side before surprising everyone with a performance!
Recently, the five-piece group also released an Apple Immersive music experience on Apple Vision Pro that takes fans right into their dance practice for the track “GO!”. They may only have debuted last summer but they’re already on track to take over playlists all around the world.
APPLE BATTERSEA, LONDON
London’s chapter of the Apple 50th anniversary celebrations featured award-winning DJ, producer, singer, and songwriter Nia Archives. The Bradford-born, London-based artist has been named Apple Music’s “Up Next” artist in 2022 and is a loyal Logic Pro user, engaging the software to create remixes for Jorja Smith, PinkPantheress, and more.
Mumford & Sons also joined in on the 50th anniversary celebrations with Apple, bringing their GRAMMY-winning hits to the Battersea Park stage. They also recently sat down with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe for a chat about their latest studio album, Prizefighter.
APPLE CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES, PARIS
Apple’s celebrations in Paris were not only an ode to its anniversary but also the French creative spirit. The week-long do started with a two-day-long pop-up recording studio, set up in collaboration with Founder of Ed Banger Records Pedro Winter. The space welcomed artists across genres and generations, who used the provided Mac to recreate iconic tracks in their own individual styles.
Additionally, Apple Champs-Élysées also added four Today at Apple sessions to its agenda, all which discussed how Apple’s ecosystem of products and services can play a vital role in creative processes and music production. As a send-off for the celebrations the Apple store’s Forum turned into a concert stage with names like Ebony, Rnboi, Guy2Bezbar, and DJ Paloma Le Friant taking to the decks.
APPLE JING’AN, SHANGHAI
Leading new-gen fashion designer Feng Chen Wang took Apple’s 50th anniversary as an opportunity to redefine the runway. During Shanghai Fashion Week, the designer turned the Apple Jing’an store into her stage, where models presented her designs during a special show themed “Life and Love”.
Behind the glitz and glam of her fashion shows is Wang’s workflow centered around iPad, Mac, iPhone, and Procreate. Each of these tools has become vital players in pushing her creative agenda, blending traditional techniques with modern digital tools.
APPLE TAIKOO LI CHENGDU, CHINA
Pop culture icon, singer, songwriter, and actor Chris Lee is no stranger to winning awares—more than 260 over her 20-year career to be exact. The multi-hyphenate has found her rhythm somewhere in between pop, electronic, and alternative beats that have taken her to platinum status.
As part of Apple’s 50th anniversary celebrations, she graced the Apple Taikoo Li store in Chengdu as an embodiment of Apple’s “Think Different” campaign. Not only does she pave her own way in the world of music, she has also become an influential figure in the realm of fashion and the arts as a whole.
THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE, AUSTRALIA
One of the world’s most iconic landmarks lit up in the name of Apple’s 50th anniversary. Marking the beginning of a new year-long creative initiative titled Illuminating Creativity, the festivities transformed the Sydney Opera House’s eastern Bennelong sails into a massive canvas to champion the city’s young creatives. The display features digital artwork by 11 emerging local artists as well as six members of the public.
Each piece was created using iPad and Procreate, the ever-powerful Australian-developed drawing app by Savage Interactive that has taken the creative world by storm. Additionally, the score accompanying the Illuminating Creativity display was created by Pickles, a recent graduate from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, on Mac with Logic Pro.
APPLE BKC, MUMBAI
Apple BKC went the visual route with its chapter of Apple’s 50th anniversary tributes. They teamed up with visual artist and illustrator Mira Felicia Malhotra of Mumbai, who designed a massive mural as an archway over the store’s entryway as an ode to the city’s creative community.
She then sat down with singer-songwriter Anuv Jain for a chat on the symbiosis between sound and visuals in storytelling. She ended her trifecta of events with her own Today at Apple session that detailed the creative process behind the mural with the help of iPad Pro, Apple Pencil Pro, and Procreate.
APPLE OMOTESANDO, TOKYO
Virtual artist Mori Calliope led the celebrations in the Japanese capital to the delight of her hundreds of fans who flooded the store. During her event, Calliope put on an electrifying live performance, showcasing her abilities in blending English and Japanese in her lyrics plus demonstrating the power of technology in creating new musical horizons. She also sat down for a discussion with Apple Music’s DJ Mino, sharing her creative insights and process with GarageBand.
APPLE PACIFIC CENTRE, VANCOUVER
With the help of his iPhone, Elladj Baldé proved that retiring from competitive skating doesn’t mean hanging up your skates forever. In his Today at Apple session, he shared how his iPhone’s camera propelled him into the world of storytelling. Through his series “Wild Ice”, Baldé has brought the art of skating to the Canadian wilderness and discovered his own form of self-expression. Since 2018, he has been conquering the frozen lakes one by one, twirling, gliding, and flipping through its vistas.
APPLE ANTARA, MEXICO CITY
Apple Antara’s segment of the celebrations put the spotlight on the city’s film industry, featuring a panel of actors, creators, and more. The roster included actress Ximena Sariñana, actor Enrique Arrizon, actress Renata Vaca, director and showrunner Fernando Rovzar, music producer Camilo Lara, director Natalia Beristáin, and cinematographer Dariela Ludlow Deloya. They chatted about their thoughts on creativity, the meaning of creating local content for the global stage, and bringing Mexican storytelling to the next level.
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