Hatsune Miku, Virtual Idols, and Transforming the Popular Music Experience

Abstract

This essay aims to discuss the various ways that virtual idols have transformed music production, consumption, and performance in our digital society. Vocal synthesisers like Vocaloid have given amateur musicians accessibility into the industry, pushing the limits of vocal capability and preservation, and resulting in a worldwide fandom which utilises Vocaloid characters in diverse ways. Virtual idols bear resemblance to real-life Japanese idols, yet they manage to circumvent the often-strict lifestyles idols face while also playing into tropes surrounding otaku culture. It concludes by discussing how the experience and liveness of music concerts changes with virtual performers, and how virtual concerts have continued live music performance during the COVID-19 pandemic.