I SEE DEAD PEOPLE! TMZ reports that grainy video that appears to have been taken at a rehearsal for next week’s The Voice finale, briefly surfaced on Facebook, but has since been taken down. It appears to confirm the rumors that coach Christina Aguilera will be performing with a “hologram” of the late superstar, Whitney Houston. The photos above are screen grabs from the video.
However, it TMZ reports that the performance isn’t going to happen after all.
The duet isn’t going to happen, after all. Sources connected to the deal, tell us Whitney’s estate decided to pull the plug once they saw the finished product 2 days ago.
We’re told they weren’t satisfied because the hologram simply “didn’t look like Whitney.” Producers and the estate reps all agreed Christina was flawless, but until technology can do the same for Whitney … no deal.
If the performance had been a go, Christina and the “hologram” would have performed a medley of Whitney’s hits, according to staff at TMZ that claim to have seen the full video.
All’s well that ends well. Christina’s “hologram” duet sounded like it would be an uncomfortable combo of cheesy and creepy. Let the dead rest in peace, I say.
The Voice final four performance episode airs Monday May 23 at 8 pm, while the big finale which crowns the next Voice winner, and features superstar performances, apparently from singers both living AND dead, is set for 9/8c PM Tuesday May 24 on NBC. We’ll be live blogging all of the excitement! Do join us.
Update: Turns out quality video is available:
Christina Aguilerra and Whitney Houston Hologram USA leaked from HowardJonas on Vimeo.
UPDATE: The family released a statement.
“We are so appreciative of the opportunity for the Whitney Houston hologram to appear on NBC’s The Voice with a talent pairing as extraordinary as Christina Aguilera and Whitney Houston. We were looking to deliver a groundbreaking duet performance for the fans of both artists. Holograms are new technology that take time to perfect, and we believe with artists of this iconic caliber, it must be perfect. Whitney’s legacy and her devoted fans deserve perfection. After closely viewing the performance, we decided the hologram was not ready to air. We appreciate Christina, and she was flawless.”
Christina also released a statement:
“I was honored that the Houston family asked me to perform a duet with the legendary Whitney Houston on The Voice. Sadly the technology could not meet up to the talent that Whitney possessed. But I do know in time the performance the fans and I have been hoping for will come to life.”
