[From Ben Beaumont-Thomas at the Guardian]
New deal with estate clears path for raft of new projects featuring the late soul and R&B singer.
The late Whitney Houston is set to tour as a hologram, according to the company behind the postponed Amy Winehouse hologram tour.
In a statement, Base Hologram described the show as an “awe-inspiring live theatrical concert that will celebrate her amazing life, work and everlasting legacy”. It will feature Houston appearing as a 3D hologram, with recordings of her vocals backed by a live band. No dates or locations have been announced.
Pat Houston, the singer’s sister-in-law and president of her estate, said: “Whitney prided herself on her family and that included her fans. She adored her audiences and that’s why we know she would have loved this holographic theatrical concept.”
The show follows Base Hologram’s successful Roy Orbison hologram event, which toured the US and Europe in spring 2018; it is returning in October, pairing Orbison with a holographic Buddy Holly. The company also successfully staged a Maria Callas holographic tour in 2018. A rival company, Eyellusion, recently staged a well-received Frank Zappa hologram tour, and is about to launch one featuring a hologram of hard-rocker Ronnie James Dio, who died in 2010.
Base Hologram’s plans for a 2019 Amy Winehouse tour were postponed, after the company faced “unique challenges and sensitivities” in trying to replicate Winehouse in “the most celebratory and respectful way possible”.
The Houston estate has also partnered with Primary Wave Music Publishing to produce projects featuring the Houston name. The company hopes to put out an album featuring unreleased songs from her 1985 self-titled debut, and is in discussions about a Broadway musical and a Las Vegas show.
In 2012, Houston accidentally drowned in her bathtub; she had drugs including cocaine and Xanax in her system. A pair of recent documentaries, the authorised Whitney and Nick Broomfield’s Whitney: Can I Be Me, explored the singer’s troubled life. The film Whitney explored the accusation that she was sexually abused by her cousin Dee Dee Warwick as a child – a claim that Houston’s mother, Cissy Houston, denied, describing it as “rumour, innuendo and hearsay”.
In an interview with the New York Times, Pat Houston said: “Before [Whitney] passed, there was so much negativity around the name. It wasn’t about the music any more … It’s been quite emotional for the past seven years. But now it’s about being strategic.”
Lawrence Mestel of Primary Wave said that Houston’s name and likeness would be used sensitively: “We wouldn’t do a fast-food brand relationship.” The company has acquired the rights to other heritage artists, including Bob Marley, Smokey Robinson and Paul Anka. It is also planning a hologram tour of late Canadian pianist Glenn Gould with Eyellusion, despite Gould disliking live concerts.
Collecting or love Whitney Houston’s music? Find rare and out of print Vinyl Records & CDs here at eil.com
EIL.COM Favourite Music Update Rare CDs, CD Singles, Rare Records, Vinyl Records, Albums and Music
- Whitney Houston - Greatest Love Of All - UK - 12" vinyl - £12.00, $15.00, €14.04 (New Item) (arrived 19-Apr-2024 14:53)on April 26, 2024 at 8:21 am
WHITNEY HOUSTON Greatest Love Of All (1986 UK 3-track 12" vinyl single, including Thinking About You and Shock Me [with Jermaine Jackson]. Apart from a very light loss of the gloss on the front from a sticker being removed, the glossy picture sleeve displays minimal wear and the vinyl appears barely played ARIST12658)
- Whitney Houston - So Emotional - UK - 12" vinyl - £12.00, $15.00, €14.04 (New Item) (arrived 19-Apr-2024 14:51)on April 26, 2024 at 8:21 am
WHITNEY HOUSTON So Emotional (1987 UK 3-track 12" vinyl single, featuring the Extended Remix 7:51 plus Didn't We Almost Have It All [Live Version] and For The Love Of You. The glossy picture sleeve displays light wear and the vinyl shows onlyafew signs of play RIST43)
- Whitney Houston - How Will I Know - UK - 12" vinyl - £12.00, $15.00, €14.04 (New Item) (arrived 19-Apr-2024 13:44)on April 26, 2024 at 8:21 am
WHITNEY HOUSTON How Will I Know (1986 UK 12" vinyl single, also including Someone For Me [Remix Version]. The glossy picture sleeve displays minimal wear and the vinyl looks barely played ARIST12656)
- Whitney Houston - Whitney - Hype Stickered sleeve - German - vinyl LP - £20.00, $25.00, €23.40 (New Item) (arrived 09-Apr-2024 14:29)on April 26, 2024 at 8:21 am
WHITNEY HOUSTON Whitney (1987 German 11-track vinyl LP, including the classic single I Wanna Dance With Somebody, song hype stickered picture sleeve with illustrated lyric inner. The sleeve has some light wear whilst the vinyl displays only light signs of play - an excellent example)
- Whitney Houston - I'm Your Baby Tonight - EX - German - vinyl LP - £25.00, $31.25, €29.25 (New Item) (arrived 08-Apr-2024 16:28)on April 26, 2024 at 8:21 am
WHITNEY HOUSTON I'm Your Baby Tonight (1990 German 11-track vinyl LP featuring the duet with Stevie Wonder 'We Didn't Know', complete with illustrated lyric inner, picture sleeve. The sleeve has some minor edge scuffing and the vinyl shows a few light surface scuffs)
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