Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.i.am launches high-tech face covering
LOS ANGELES - Will.i.am, known as the founder and frontman of the band Black Eyed Peas, has launched a new technologically advanced face mask.
The musician teamed up with N95 manufacturer Honeywell and created a $299 face mask the features noise-canceling headphones.
Will.i.am told Axios he believes people will splurge on the mask to make a fashion statement and for the wearable tech element.
He told USA Today that he created to high-tech mask to solve a problem. "What I saw out there in the world was people had loose-fitted masks, and they had earbuds," the entertainer explained. "When they got phone calls, they took the mask off and the earbuds fell on the floor, then the mask fell on the floor, and then the whole point was pointless because everything got dirty."
Will.i.am of Black Eyed Peas performs during KAABOO Texas at the AT&T Stadium on May 11, 2019 in Arlington, Texas.
John Waldron, president and CEO of Safety and Product Solutions at Honeywell, told USA Today, "When we were confronted with this idea of partnering with a world-renowned innovator to solve a very specific consumer problem around having a great performing and fashionable mask that you could use for the whole day, it was just an obvious fit."
The rapper also revealed he teamed up with Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff to make the "Xupermask" (pronounced super mask) collaboration happen.
The mask drops Thursday and will be available to purchase online. Will.i.am told the outlet he hasn't had any conversations with major retailers yet but hopes interest will pick up "as we gear up towards the holidays."
Will.i.am also weighed in on some states' decision to drop the mask mandate. "I wish it wasn't the case but masks will be here for a while," he said to Axios.