The World's Most Iconic Virtual Idol: Hatsune Miku
Hatsune Miku is a vocaloid [vocal android] software virtually personified as a 16 year old idol from the future with bright blue twintails and eccentric dance moves.
Beloved as both a wildly successful digital music software and virtual pop idol, Miku has become iconic in Japan and around the world since the software’s release in 2007.
Vocaloid technology, developed by the Yamaha Corporation, allows for Miku’s voice to be used in original songs using text to speech lyrics and melody synthesization. Via the software, Miku’s voice has been used in over 100,000 songs to date, and she continues to be featured in various collaborations from techno to opera buffa.
Miku often performs live using holographic projection technology, her first performance of which took place in summer of 2009 at the Animelo Summer Live anime music festival, propelling her to national recognition and acclaim.
Miku then appeared at the 2011 Los Angeles Anime Expo, furthering her global exposure, and becoming an international icon of Japan’s cosplay, otaku, and idol scenes. Following this, Miku would go on to work with everyone from Louis Vuitton to Lady Gaga, even being chosen as a performer at Coachella 2020 before the festival’s cancellation due to the pandemic.
Today, over 15 years after Miku’s debut, new fan made songs are still abundant, and in the nature of her music, the range of styles is so diverse that she can appeal to everyone’s taste. The global appeal and adoration of Hatsune Miku as a character is difficult to explain, but her eccentric nature makes her universally lovable.
