If you are a millennial, you were probably a fan of Disney Channel Original Movies back in your pre-teen years. You know most (if not all) of the words to the first, second and third “High School Musical” movies. You enjoy a good “Halloweentown” marathon every October, but you know that the fourth movie isn’t as good as the first three. And you understand the importance of The Cheetah Girls’ sisterhood. But these are iconic Disney Channel films — if you dig way back into your brain, there’s another film that may spark your memory: “Pixel Perfect.”
For those of you who can’t seem to conjure up the synopsis of this DCOM (and for those of you who weren’t a mere nine or ten years old when this film was produced), let us enlighten you: the 2004 made-for-TV film followed super genius Roscoe, who was eager to help his friend Samantha’s band succeed. It was a typical boy-wants-to-impress-girl story, until Roscoe created a hologram to be the lead singer of Samantha’s band.
Now that those bells are going off in your head, let’s draw your attention to what appears to be a real-life realization of this film: on Wednesday, The New York Times reported that the Apollo Theater will partner with Hologram USA to bring “hologram technology” into performances for educational purposes throughout the next two years. The Apollo will begin its concert series with blues legend Billie Holiday.
Yes, you read that correctly: Billie Holiday, who died of cirrhosis in 1959, will once again headline at the Apollo.
According to the Times, previously recorded audio from Holiday’s albums will be paired with a holographic image of her — one that can interact with and take questions from the audience in addition to performing her set.
We’ve seen this sort of technology before with the late Michael Jackson’s performance at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards. And while the science behind creating holograms is fascinating, creating them for this purpose seems to cross a line.
What’s concerning about showcasing any late performer in this light is the impending danger of turning him or her into a brand. Apollo president Jonelle Procope “envisions the technology eventually being used to allow older legends to collaborate with live up-and-coming performers,” the Times reported. But there are blurred lines here. While the Times states that the Apollo and Hologram USA are teaming up for “educational purposes,” the piece doesn’t specify whether or not the concerts will bring in revenue. This could lead us down a dangerous road — living performers obviously make a profit on their performances, and we can only assume that collaboration between these performers and the deceased legends will generate some sort of monetary reward. Who is reaping the benefits?
What makes this performance idea so strange isn’t simply the fact that Holiday will be reincarnated in holographic form, but that the show will be interactive. Sure, the audience can ask Holiday questions, but who is the puppeteer in the background answering them? While the Apollo promises not to tarnish the memory of these performers, it almost seems as if it can’t be avoided.
We are also obligated to consider the families of the deceased. While many family members may be distant relatives, seeing one’s late great-grandmother or uncle on the stage performing their hits and answering questions may be a traumatic experience.
There are simply other ways in which we can honor the work of these legendary performers. Let’s not forget that in 2014, five-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald won her sixth award for portraying Holiday in “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill” on Broadway. Her performance garnered critical acclaim and is even being aired on HBO later this year. McDonald obviously isn’t the first person to honor the life of an artist with an interpretation of the artist’s work, so why can’t we simply continue this trend? Seeing a live actor take on the role of a legend in a live setting, such as on Broadway or in concert venues, may be much more rewarding than watching a computerized image perform an audio recording of a superstar from days past.
This isn’t to say that hologram technology is altogether detrimental, but a line must be drawn. And maybe we can take a tip from “Pixel Perfect.” Spoiler alert: in the end, the holographic pop star wasn’t all she was cracked up to be, causing more harm to Samantha and Roscoe’s relationship than good.
In all seriousness, educating people about these legendary artists is undoubtedly important — Holiday is a symbol of civil rights and an iconic performer who deserves to be recognized for her greatness, just as many other late performers do. We need to foster a respect for these artists in each and every person who will take a moment to listen. But there are other ways to do this. And given how hard it is to break into the music business these days, perhaps we should be giving new artists a chance to flourish, rather than attempting to recreate the past with falsified images and eerie, computerized conversations with the ones that have already made their marks.
