Kentucky Fried Chicken mascot Colonel Sanders made an unusual — and controversial — appearance at this year’s Ultra Music Festival in Miami that’s drawing some mixed reactions from EDM artists.
On the festival’s opening day Friday (March 29), a real DJ wearing a helmet of Colonel Sanders’ face walked onto the main stage and gave an awkward performance that left many fans scratching their heads. The promotional stunt also prompted numerous DJs and producers to react on social media.
.@KFC bought Colonel Sanders a slot on the @Ultra main stage, and this happened. —— | –: @1001TLtv pic.twitter.com/8qZfUZ7G4K
— Festive Owl (@TheFestiveOwl) March 29, 2019
Marshmello, who headlined Ultra on Friday night, didn’t hold back his distaste for the incident. “This @kfc colonel sanders Djing at @ultra is lame. I can think of a lot of other artists that actually deserve to be on that stage instead,” the DJ and producer tweeted.
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Chicago-based DJ production duo Louis the Child also expressed their disapproval. “Given the platform you have as a major electronic festival, it would be nice if you used it to showcase what electronic music is about and not make it seem like a joke with corporate promotional nonsense,” the group tweeted, tagging Ultra Music Festival.
But others took a more laid back, comical approach to KFC’s promotional stunt.
“kfc & ultra woulda gotten way less heat (and more success) if they just made a helmet that looked like a piece of fried chicken and named the dj ‘fryd chiken,'” Josh Pan joked in a tweet.
Herobust tweeted, “This is god damn hilarious on so many levels. I don’t care… I love it.”
See more reactions to Colonel Sanders’ Ultra DJ set below.
This @kfc colonel sanders Djing at @ultra is lame. I can think of a lot of other artists that actually deserve to be on that stage instead.
— marshmello (@marshmellomusic) March 29, 2019
Given the platform you have as a major electronic festival, it would be nice if you used it to showcase what electronic music is about and not make it seem like a joke with corporate promotional nonsense @ultra
— louis (@LouisTheChild) March 30, 2019
The biggest mistake KFC made was to not have the Colonel wearing a bucket on his head.
— Alex Metric (@Alexmetric) March 30, 2019
I heard the Hamburglar is playing a techno set on the underground stage tomorrow. —
— Alex Metric (@Alexmetric) March 30, 2019
Also let’s be real, Ultra selling ad space on the EDM Main stage at one of the most commercial festivals feels like some horrendous logical conclusion to the direction that part of dance music has been heading. It’s not exactly Ronald McDonald at Berghain is it.
— Alex Metric (@Alexmetric) March 30, 2019
This is god damn hilarious on so many levels. I don’t care… I love it. https://t.co/okgQGGC3FO
— HEROBUST (@Herobust) March 30, 2019
There’s a reason we call it Sausage Fattener and not Chicken Fattener.
——
@kfc if you want a license of Sausage Fattener, just DM us yeah. pic.twitter.com/3ctQjgHIhk— Dada Life (@dadalife) March 30, 2019
my favorite up & coming artist is Colonel Sanders
— –VALENTINO KHAN– (@ValentinoKhan) March 30, 2019
I don’t want people to overlook the countless hours of work Colonel Sanders has put in the studio
Dreams aren’t made overnight guys —
— –VALENTINO KHAN– (@ValentinoKhan) March 30, 2019
colonel sanders being an edm dj is peak 2019. soon its gonna be robots and the artists will all be out of jobs
— bleep bloop (@bleepbloopbass) March 30, 2019
Anyone know that colonel sanders VIP from today?
— Phantoms (@phantoms) March 30, 2019
This right here is really fucking irritating if I’m being honest https://t.co/LHWSoAEeD0
— Crankdat ?? (@crankdat) March 30, 2019
Having a KFC dj and not a Popeyes one tells me everything I need to know
— G ? (@gbuck) March 30, 2019
KFC are a dying company trying to reach young people again and I’m surprised there isn’t a frito on the mainstage
— ??? z? (@Mat_Zo) March 30, 2019
Just because people are talking about your product doesn’t make it any better! KFC still selling your ass a three day old fried thigh.
— ———— (@Zomboy) March 30, 2019
playing ultra music festival today!!! big day for me personally, it has always been a dream of mine to share the stage with legendary artists like *checks notes* kfc
— G JONES (@gjonesbass) March 30, 2019
