Introduction to Whitney Houston’s Hologram Tour
The estate of Whitney E. Houston, in collaboration with Primary Wave Music and Park Avenue Artists, is set to bring the deceased singer back to the stage. Using AI stem separation technology from the music creation platform Moises, they have extracted Houston’s vocals from original recordings, enabling live orchestral performances on a seven-city tour.
The Concert Experience
The concert will transport fans into the music world of Houston, with a live orchestra accompanying her singing and rare footage. To achieve this, the estate of Whitney E. Houston and their creative partner, Park Avenue Artists, isolated individual instruments and vocals from their recordings, producing high-quality audio that brings the creative team’s vision to life while honoring her legacy. The seven-city tour will also feature a complete symphony orchestra.
The Technology Behind the Tour
According to Geraldo Ramos, CEO of Moises, "This project required exceptionally high-caliber stem separation, which Moises leads the industry in achieving. We had to isolate Whitney’s vocals from fully mixed tracks without affecting the emotional power of her performance. Five years ago, such a concert would simply not have been possible before stem separation technology had reached the precision and fidelity that we can now deliver."
A Tribute to Whitney Houston’s Legacy
Pat Houston, executor of the estate, said, "We knew that this had to be done correctly. Moises and our partner, Park Avenue Artists, have elevated the idea with heart, care, and creative excellence, which Whitney always embodied. The result is something very special: a gift for long-term fans and a powerful introduction to a new generation discovering her voice."
The Future of Music with AI
Ross Michaels, co-president of Park Avenue Artists, added, "This project shows how legacy artists and their estates can create meaningful experiences for music lovers through the thoughtful use of AI technology. Whitney’s voice is the first of several planned collaborations that showcase the work of an artist with AI. It’s a powerful example of how AI can honor legacies while enriching the audience’s experience in a beautiful and respectful way."
Tour Dates
The tour will visit the following cities:
- September 20-21: Cincinnati Pops (Cincinnati Music Hall)
- October 11: Wilmington, NC (Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College)
- October 25: Thousand Oaks, CA (Bank of America Performing Arts Center)
- November 8: Carmel, IN (The Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts)
- November 15: Waukegan, IL (The Genesee Theatre)
- November 21: Palm Desert, CA (McCallum Theatre)
- November 22: Tempe, AZ (ASU Gammage)
New Appointments in the Music Industry
In other news, NPR has announced that Sonali Mehta will be the new executive director of NPR Music, starting on September 22 and based in New York. Mehta is a music industry professional with extensive experience in artist partnerships, content strategy, and business development.
Mehta’s Background and Experience
Mehta began her career at YouTube, where she worked with over 800 artists to support their music releases and expand their audience on the platform. She then moved to Arista Records, where she was part of the digital marketing team and executed over 50 global campaigns to promote artist discovery and music consumption. Most recently, she was chief of staff at ADA, part of the Warner Music Group.
Former TikTok Music Director Joins Duette
Former TikTok music director, William Gruger, has joined Duette as the DSP and partner marketing lead. Gruger brings a deep track record of designing how audiences discover music across platforms. At Duette, he will lead DSP and partner marketing initiatives and work closely with platforms and partners to maximize artist visibility and success.
Concord Music Publishing Signs Amy Wadge
Concord Music Publishing has signed celebrated singer and songwriter Amy Wadge to a global publishing contract. The agreement includes Wadge’s newly published cuts and future compositions, including new singles from FKA Twigs, Jonas Brothers, Noah Cyrus, and Halestorm.
Amy Wadge’s Achievements and Future Projects
Wadge has worked on 16 Grammy-nominated projects and won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 2016 for co-writing Ed Sheeran’s "Thinking Out Loud." She is currently developing three original music theater projects and is entering the world of Broadway and stage. Wadge is also working on songs for major film and TV projects, showcasing her growing influence on visual stories. As an artist, she has five solo albums and several EPs to her name and is preparing to release new music and return to live touring.
