Whitney Houston estate halts hologram debut

Singer Whitney Houston performs onstage during the 2011 Pre-Grammy Gala & Salute to In
AFP

New York (AFP) – Whitney Houston’s estate on Friday abruptly halted the late singer’s hologram debut featuring Christina Aguilera, saying that the quality was not up to standards.

Footage that recently leaked online showed a hologram of the late pop great singing in duet with the real-life Aguilera to tracks including Houston’s “I Have Nothing.”

The performance was being planned to air next week on the popular television contest “The Voice,” but Houston’s estate said in a statement that “the hologram was not ready to air.”

“We were looking to deliver a groundbreaking duet performance for the fans of both artists,” the statement said.

“Holograms are new technology that take time to perfect, and we believe with artists of this iconic caliber, it must be perfect.

“Whitney’s legacy and her devoted fans deserve perfection,” it said.

The estate did not take issue with Aguilera, saying the 35-year-old pop singer’s own performance was “flawless.”

Hologram USA, one of the major producers of the new technology, last year said it was working on a global hologram tour of Houston, who died in 2012.

Music holograms became trendy that same year when Coachella, one of the leading festivals, brought back late rap legend Tupac Shakur via the technology for a headlining set with his living collaborators Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.

Holograms have since become a growth market with notable resurrected figures including the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson, who returned posthumously for the Billboard Music Awards in 2014.

While many fans find holograms to be awe-inspiring and a unique way for younger generations to experience late artists, critics say that the performances can be tacky.

The Grateful Dead considered but decided against bringing back late bandmate Jerry Garcia by hologram when the classic hippie-era band performed a final set of shows last year.

Holograms record light fields, rather than standard camera images, thereby allowing a three-dimensional presentation, but synchronizing performances with sound needs special attention.

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