A Prince Hologram Is Rumored To Appear At The Super Bowl. That’s Just Creepy

Update: Sheila E. says she spoke to Timberlake and “there is no hologram.” 

Justin Timberlake is scheduled to perform at the Super Bowl haltfime show tomorrow, and according to TMZ, the performance will include a Prince hologram (the Super Bowl will take place in Prince’s hometown of Minneapolis).

If this thing really happens, then presumably it has been agreed to by Prince’s estate. But what about the man himself – what if Prince would’ve hated the idea? Prince’s collaborator Sheila E. wrote on Twitter, “Prince told me don’t ever let anyone do a hologram of me.”

Prince told me don’t ever let anyone do a hologram of me. Not cool if this happens! https://t.co/khtCjXr2mY

— SheilaEdrummer (@SheilaEdrummer) February 3, 2018

Resurrecting an artist’s likeness without their consent seems ethically dubious – especially in the billion dollar context of the Super Bowl. Besides, the idea of resurrecting anyone via sophisticated lighting effects is just creepy. Do we have to reduce the greatest performer of his era to a stage gimmick?

I suppose there’s a chance that Prince signed off on the idea before his passing; I’ll be curious to see if his estate releases a statement if this holographic performance goes down as rumored.

They brought Tupac back via hologram, and last year they brought Dio back too. Going forward, I wonder if artists will have to start including a ‘hologram clause’ in their will. What a time to be alive!

I’d prefer to watch a fake Prince over a real Justin Timberlake anyday – but this just seems creepy.