The future has arrived. M.I.A. and Janelle Monáe have figured out how to be in two places at once — the singers performed two live duets together from opposite sides of the nation. No, no dark magic was used, and they didn't clone their DNA for the greater good of pop (sigh, if only). They simply hit up holograms to duplicate their likenesses.
Thanks to a fan video, you can see a preview of M.I.A.'s show in New York below. A hologram Monáe flits around M.I.A. and waxes lyrical all over her single, "Bad Girls." Monáe's L.A. concert went down in a similar fashion. A press release for the show claimed that it was "the first hologram performance with integrated video mapping." (It should be noted that hologram images of Tupac and deceased members of The Wu-Tang Clan have previously appeared in performances, too, but the technology employed here is new.)
If this high-tech trick becomes widespread, live music could be changed forever. Lady Gaga could properly perform "Telephone" with her original duet buddy, Beyoncé. Pharrell and Daft Punk could do "Get Lucky" anywhere, anytime. If anything, this is a way better use of holograms than the time CNN used them to spice up election reporting. (Rolling Stone)