Whitney Houston‘s hologram tour is coming to Vegas, but not everyone is enthusiastic about the concept.
According to Variety, Houston’s estate recently announced the start of “An Evening With Whitney: The Whitney Houston Hologram Tour,” a new residency that is expected to launch on Oct. 26, 2021, at the Harrah’s Las Vegas. Houston’s hologram had its first tour run in Europe back in February 2020, ending in October of the same year with a total of 25 shows.
As per a promotional video, the concert will feature a virtual image and voice of the late singer. On Feb. 11, 2012, Houston passed away after she was found unresponsive in a bathtub at a Beverly Hills hotel following an accidental drowning; heart disease and cocaine were contributing factors. The report says a digital version of the “Sparkle” actress will be backed by a live four-piece band, including background singers and dancers performing “all the hits.”
Upon hearing the news, fans on social media were quick to shun the idea of using hologram technology for the deceased singer, including one Twitter user who wrote, “Anybody that understood anything about Whitney or knew her would KNOW she wouldn’t be ok with this.” They added, “Ain’t no way! She barely used the internet and didn’t believe in lip syncing, but had a ‘conversation’ with Pat about an intimate concert, and that meant a hologram?? Ok girl.”
Another person commented, “it’s not like this you keep the legacy alive, but release a never-before-seen video performance or an unreleased song for future generations to see and hear how great she was, NOT LIKE THIS.”
“As a fan, and someone who never got to see her perform in person, this is still a HARD PASS,” expressed a third. “Let her music live on, let her story be told, but let this legend rest. I know this is the future, but just because we can do it, doesn’t mean we should. It’s just morally wrong.”
A fourth commented suggests that entertainers leave explicit instruction on how to be presented after their passing. “Artists, singers, dancers, actors- they really need to make it clear in their wills/ with their executors how their images/work will be allowed to be used after they have passed away,” they wrote. “This just feels like greed.”
The concert was reportedly was in the works a year before its European launch date. Houston’s former manager and sister-in-law Pat Houston told Rolling Stone last year that she and the “I Will Always Love You” singer had often discussed “her idea of an intimate, unplugged concert tour.” She added, “It was a project we called ‘Whitney Unplugged’ or ‘An Evening with Whitney.”
Pat, who is the sole executor of the estate, said, “While Whitney’s no longer with us, her voice and legacy will live on with us forever. ‘An Evening with Whitney’ is another chance for us to relive and celebrate the talent that we were so lucky to receive for more than three decades and we’re excited to bring this cutting-edge musical experience to the fans who supported the pop culture phenomenon that was Whitney Houston because they deserve nothing less.”
Tickets for “An Evening With Whitney: The Whitney Houston Hologram Tour” in Vegas are on sale now.
