Resurrecting the Rock ‘n’ Roll king

Elvis Presley fans, who missed out on seeing their hero when he was alive, will be able to watch the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll perform later this year, thanks to virtual reality.

Elvis Evolution will use AI and holographic projection, augmented reality and live theatre to recreate events in Presley’s life and music, said Layered Reality, the immersive entertainment company developing the show.

“It’s going to be a joyous celebration of Elvis’s life; the man, the music, and his cultural legacy,” Layered Reality founder and chief executive Andrew McGuinness said.

Visitors will be taken on a journey from Tupelo, Mississippi, where Presley was born in 1935, to Memphis, Tennessee, home of Graceland, and Las Vegas.

“The crescendo of the experience is an AI performance by Elvis,” he said.

Global interest in the singer, widely acclaimed as the best selling solo music artiste of all time with more than 500 million records sold, is undimmed 46 years after he died, aged 42. Baz Luhrmann’s biography Elvis, released in 2022, created a new generation of fans, while Sofia Coppola’s 2023 Priscilla explored his complex relationship with his wife. McGuinness said Elvis Evolution would appeal to both die-hard fans and those curious to discover more about the Can’t Help Falling in Love singer.

— Reuters