It may have been five years since the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, tragically passed away but he’s still commanding an audience thanks to an amazingly realistic hologram, which debuted at last night’s Billboard Music Awards. Performing his new hit, Slave To The Rhythm with 16 real backing dancers, the music icon’s projection even moonwalked across the stage much to the audience’s delight.
The previously unheard track will be the first release from Jackson’s posthumous album Xscape, which features a compilation of unreleased songs from the artist. Cultivated and produced by rapper Timbaland and Epic Records chairman L.A Reid, who previously worked on several hits with the late singer, the album has already shot to Number One in several countries worldwide.
Wearing red trousers and a sparkling gold jacket, the hologram proved to be so lifelike it had many audience members in tears and later on their feet for a standing ovation. However, it was a moment that almost didn’t happen thanks to a large amount of controversy surrounding the computer rendering. Leading up to the show the evening was promoted as a ‘history-making performance’ rather than the digital resurrection of Jackson as American company Hologram USA Inc. took the awards show to court in an attempt to block the performance, claiming it violated the technology patents they owned.
While this may have been the first time an audience has heard anything from the Xscape album, fans of the late star have been able to catch a digital rendering of the singer for the past year at Cirque du Soleil’s show Michael Jackson ONE, who are also being sued by Hologram USA Inc. for the same reasons as the Billboard Music Awards. Having taken over six months of planning, filming and choreography to make, even with the last minute controversy, the spectacular performance most definitely did not disappoint.
And the Billboard Music Awards winners were…
Top Artist
Justin Timberlake
Top New Artist
Lorde
Top Male Artist
Justin Timberlake
Top Female Artist
Katy Perry
Top Duo/Group
Imagine Dragons
Top Billboard 200 Artist
Justin Timberlake
Top Hot 100 Artist
Imagine Dragons
Top Digital Songs Artist
Katy Perry
Top Radio Songs Artist
Justin Timberlake
Top Touring Artist
Bon Jovi
Top Social Artist
Justin Bieber
Top Streaming Artist
Miley Cyrus
Top R&B Artist
Justin Timberlake
Top Rap Artist
Eminem
Top Country Artist
Luke Bryan
Top Rock Artist
Imagine Dragons
Top Latin Artist
Marc Anthony
Top Dance/Electronic Artist
Daft Punk
Top Christian Artist
Chris Tomlin
ALBUM AWARDS
Top Billboard 200 Album
Justin Timberlake, The 20/20 Experience
Top R&B Album
Justin Timberlake, The 20/20 Experience
Top Rap Album
Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP 2
Top Country Album
Luke Bryan, Crash My Party
Top Rock Album
Imagine Dragons, Night Visions
Top Latin Album
Marc Anthony, 3.0
Top Dance/Electronic Album
Daft Punk, Random Access Memories
Top Christian Album
Alan Jackson, Precious Memories: Volume II
SONG AWARDS
Top Hot 100 Song
Robin Thicke Featuring T.I. & Pharrell, Blurred Lines
Top Digital Song
Robin Thicke, Featuring T.I. & Pharrell Blurred Lines
Top Radio Song
Robin Thicke Featuring T.I. & Pharrell, Blurred Lines
Top Streaming Song (Audio)
Imagine Dragons, Radioactive
Top Streaming Song (Video)
Miley Cyrus, Wrecking Ball
Top R&B Song
Robin Thicke Feat. T.I. & Pharrell, Blurred Lines
Top Rap Song
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Ray Dalton, Can’t Hold Us
Top Country Song
Florida Georgia Line Featuring Nelly, Cruise
Top Rock Song
Lorde, Royals
Top Latin Song
Marc Anthony, Vivir Mi Vida
Top Dance/Electronic Song
Avicii, Wake Me Up!
Top Christian Song
Matthew West, Hello, My Name Is
Image: Getty
