To celebrate Christina Aguilera headlining Portola Music Festival, Grindr and Xtina launched a limited-time, high-energy partnership that went beyond standard artist promotion, turning the app itself into a stage. The goal was to set a new benchmark for artist-platform collaborations, proving that brands can engage LGBTQ+ audiences with culturally resonant, playful, and interactive creative that enhances the user experience.
Central to the campaign, Grindr’s iconic “bloop” notification sound was replaced with the sultry “Come on over” riff from Xtina's chart-topping hit- transforming the world’s largest gay app into a live, in-the-moment engagement tool. Every notification became a wink, a tease, and a moment of connection between Xtina and her gay Grindr fans, making the app feel electric in the lead-up to her Portola performance.
The partnership allowed Xtina to meet her fans where they already live (on Grindr) creating a digital-native experience that was as bold, sexy, and fun as her persona. The strategy was designed to strengthen her bond with the gay community, generate buzz around Portola, and drive attention to streaming her music, all while fueling organic social conversation and press coverage.
By blending pop culture, gay community engagement, and real-time app interactivity, this campaign positioned Christina not just as a chart-topping superstar, but as an unapologetic ally who knows how to play, tease, and connect with the LGBTQ+ audience in a way only Grindr could make possible as the Global Gayborhood in your Pocket.
To celebrate global pop superstar and gay icon Christina Aguilera headlining Portola Music Festival in San Francisco, Grindr executed a first-of-its-kind digital integration that turned the app itself into part of the show. The centerpiece? A bold product-level swap: Grindr’s iconic “bloop” notification sound was replaced with Xtina’s sultry riff from her chart-topping hit “Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You).”
From September 15-21, 2025, Xtina’s voice rang through the app for its 5 million daily active users, transforming every notification into a playful, sexy, and unmistakably branded moment. Key digital features included:
The campaign lived beyond the app, becoming part of the festival itself. During her headlining set, Xtina playfully called out the partnership from the stage: “Speaking of ‘Come on over,’ let me know if any Grindr signals go off tonight so I know who’s comin’ on over!” This moment cemented the connection between digital engagement and real-world presence, making fans feel seen, included, and ready to connect.
The creative risk paid off: in a world of endless swipes and notifications, Xtina became the only alert that mattered. Millions of fans were invited to “Come On Over” from their digital grids straight to the festival front row, amplifying both her performance and her role as an LGBTQ+ ally. By blending pop culture, digital-first interactivity, and Grindr’s signature cheeky energy, this campaign redefined artist-brand collaborations, making Christina Aguilera the ultimate headliner for the Global Gayborhood in Your Pocket.
The campaign was a viral success, proving that deep product integration creates far more value for artists than traditional ads. We met our objectives by turning a digital easter egg into a massive cultural moment.
Coverage and social posts from Billboard, Billboard Pride, TMZ and Queerty drove millions of impressions for the campaign, and posts from across internet culture giants such as PopCrave and Parade drove significant social conversation, generating over 13 million social impressions. Additionally, organic Grindr launch assets garnered 3M+ views.
The in-app Grindr takeover and sponsored profile reached non-paid U.S. users at scale, driving over 40 million impressions and nearly 300,000 direct clicks to the festival and artist websites.
Lastly, "Come On Over" experienced an 8.5% increase in streams on the day of the campaign announcement, and continued to grow to a 9.6% increase the following day.