Ellie Goulding’s recent YouTube performances of songs from her latest album, Brightest Blue, demonstrates emerging XR “mixed reality” technology in a stunning fashion. Mixed reality combines live performance and computer-generated virtual imagery to augment and enhance the live performances of musicians, dancers, and other performers. Goulding’s XR-enhanced performances during the launch of her new album in July 2020 have so far included Brightest Blue and New Heights, which were both directed by Giorgio Testi.

The performances feature Goulding performing on a stage with live off-stage musical accompaniment while surrounded by evocative visual imagery. The aesthetic stands out for its subtlety and excellent, cohesive art direction. The beauty of the technology is that the videos are uncannily somewhere between ordinary reality and the type of CGI that viewers are accustomed to seeing within heavily edited videos. Are the effects live or from post-production? The capabilities are alluring, and one ventures to imagine the possibilities of how diverse artists might apply it in the future, equally so within videos as well as within performance venues; perhaps also within the theater. Goulding and her team, as well as others that have recently deployed the technology, have set a very high bar.

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Similar technology was also recently deployed in Katy Perry’s American Idol finale performance in May. The technology is particularly fitting for this moment in which we are all forced to view live performances from our own homes. Additionally, Soundazed notes that this is one of multiple artists to collaborate with Vevo to produce original musical performances during 2020 so far.  There is a lot of live music and people all around the world are able to access new technologically enhanced performances, new live performances, as well as new release music videos from some of their favorite or new artists as a means of passing the time.  Music can be quite soothing and XR tech is one means of introducing new presentation styles that are simultaneously visually awestriking.

Mixed Reality XR Augmentation: How Does It Work? 

Multiple artists have begun to implement XR, AR, and VR technology within their art. The above image from XR Studios illustrates some of the complexity involved in enchanting the performances that feature XR and AR technology. Artists that have recently performed with XR during recorded and live performances include the Black Eyed Peas as well as BTS, among others. The technology builds upon prior visual effects methods used within recorded and live performances, such as those deployed within the production of Ludwig Göransson’s theme song for The Mandalorian. However, it introduces new capabilities that artists are likely to begin experimenting with even more, within musical performance and beyond.

This is one of multiple exciting developments in the worlds of music, art, and entertainment. Elon Musk recently announced that Neuralink will stream music directly into users’ mind and some artists are also developing experiential music videos that one will be able to access through virtual reality systems. The evolution of music is truly fascinating to imagine and to witness as it unfolds on YouTube, other video and streaming platforms, as well as, and hopefully very soon, live on stages at venues all around the world.  

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Source: Soundazed