http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA5pIpdQEr0
On Oct. 8 an entirely new form of hologram graced late night television. Japanese virtual pop star Hatsune Miku performed on the Late Show with David Letterman last week.
Miku performed her song “Sharing the World” with a live band on the late night show. Her animated persona appeared on a stage, with choreographed dances and special light effects. She bowed at the end, waved goodbye to Letterman, and vanished back into virtual reality.
“It’s like being on Willie Nelson’s bus,” said Letterman after the performance.
Hatsune Miku, meaning “the first sound of the future,” is the world’s first holographic performer to be created from scratch. A creation of Cryptone Future Media, Miku is a “singing voice synthesizer” according to her bio.
Miku is well known in her native land Japan, and has slowly been merging into American audiences. She has performed as an opener for Lady Gaga during her Artpop tour as well as in a Pharrell remix.
This is the first time an animated performer has made an appearance on Late Night television. Holograms have only slowly been appearing at mass music festivals with the likeness of many dead artists such as Tupac, Michael Jackson, and Elvis. Many foreign artists have performed live on these shows, but a holographic anime character from Japan has never been shown to the American masses quite like this.
