15th September 2015

Hologram of Whitney Houston to go on tour in 2016

The estate of Whitney Houston has announced a collaboration with entertainment company Hologram USA, in which a holographic projection of Houston will appear on stage as part of a world tour next year. The singer died in February 2012 after drowning in a bathtub, but her estate and Hologram USA now want to "resurrect" her through the magic of technology. The tour will be shown around the world on TV and streamed online via FilmOn.

"I was heartbroken when Whitney passed away in 2012," says Alki David, CEO of Hologram USA and FilmOn. "The opportunity to help share her spectacular gifts with the world again is exactly what I hoped for when I built the hologram business. We've got technology that's causing a seismic shift in the entertainment industry, and a wonderful partnership with Pat Houston and the estate – I'm confident we'll create the ultimate celebration of Whitney's amazing artistry."

Pat Houston, Whitney's sister and president of her estate, said: "It's a great opportunity for her fans to see a reinvention of one of the most celebrated female artists in history and to continue a legacy of performances that will not be forgotten in years to come. I look forward to the partnership."

This isn't the first time a dead celebrity has appeared on stage as a hologram. In April 2012, a projection of rapper Tupac Shakur performed his songs alongside Snoop Dogg at the Coachella Music Festival in California, using an effect known as Pepper's ghost. In the not-too-distant future, this sort of technology could be combined with human-like AI for added interactivity, as we've predicted on our timeline for 2035.

Comments »