• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, March 13, 2013

Despite a focus on fewer ads, the latest iteration of MySpace is hardly averse to sponsorship. To that end, Chevrolet has signed on to support a three-day music event during the South by Southwest festival in Austin.
 
Myspace Secret Shows, so-called, is expected to run from Thursday through Saturday, and feature 10 musical performances, which are rumored to include Kid Cudi, Sleigh Bells, and Diplo.
 
Chris Perry, U.S. vice president of Chevrolet Marketing, said the car brand was drawn to MySpace’s focus on music. “Myspace … is all about music,” Perry said on Wednesday. “This partnership continues Chevrolet’s tradition of embracing music.”
 
Per the partnership, Chevrolet and Myspace are inviting Secret Show artists to announce their performances directly to fans. “We’re going to deliver truly immersive experiences,” Christian Parkes, global vice president of marketing at Myspace, promised on Wednesday.
 
The collaboration also includes original content, and Chevrolet advertising across the digital network owned by MySpace parent company Specific Media.
 
MySpace has had many lives since its launch in 2003; sale to News Corp. for $580 million in 2005; and sale to ad network Specific Media -- and, oddly, Justin Timberlake -- for $35 million in 2011.

According to documents obtained by Business Insider, last year, Myspace was on pace to lose $43 million in 2012 on revenue of just $15 million. According to estimates from eMarketer, that was down dramatically from about $605 million in revenue in 2008.
 
To RSVP for the shows, fans are being encouraged to visit the Myspace Secret Show page on the new Myspace.
 
Along with its support for MySpace, Chevrolet is a SXSW premiere sponsor.