Amy Winehouse is the latest deceased performer to be repackaged as a hologram.
Winehouse, who passed away in July 2011, is going on tour again, this time as a digital projection courtesy of an L.A. company called Base Hologram. The worldwide tour is slated for 2019 and will feature the singer performing her biggest hits with a backing band. The tour could last up to three years. Base has previously produced concerts featuring digital versions of Roy Orbison and Maria Callas.
The tour is happening in partnership with Winehouse’s family, and father Mitch Winehouse says it will raise money for the Amy Winehouse Foundation, which aims to help those struggling with drug and alcohol abuse. Mitch told Reuters: “We felt this would be a tremendous way for Amy both to revisit her fans through a hologram, and also an incredible way to raise money for our foundation.”
Her father tweeted about the collaboration last week, and while some fans were excited that they’ll get to see a version of Winehouse perform, many people expressed sadness that the singer is being showcased in this way.
Our family is delighted to be teaming up with @BASEhologram to continue celebrating the life and work of Amy, with all proceeds of the tour, starting in late 2019, going to Amy’s Foundation to help even more young people in her name. https://t.co/F9M5V9Z8Qn
— mitch winehouse (@mitchwinehouse) October 11, 2018
An Amy Winehouse biopic has also just been announced, to be adapted by Kinky Boots writer Geoff Deane. But in the meantime, just watch the 2015 documentary Amy for some perspective.