Virtual Idol

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Virtual Idol

by Kristian Calalang

The Concert held in August 2009

Vocaloid mascot, Hatsune Miku performed her first holographic concert as a virtual idol on Animelo Summer Live at the Saitama Super Arena on August 22, 2009. There were reported to be around 25,000 fans who watched the concert, standing-room only. Since then, her fame has gradually increased internationally as she holds concerts in various places across the world. One has to wonder though, what made her famous even though she is not real.

Many people, including me, only heard about her while browsing through anime sites. Then, out of curiosity, listened to a few of her songs. I don’t particularly dislike the songs, but I don’t really like it either, save a few exceptions. And many people who got to know her didn’t really know that she is just part of a software called VOCALOID, a voice synthesizer, for the PC, at first.

What is a Vocaloid?

Vocaloid is a singing synthesis program. This basically means that it’s a computer software that can sing. There are three parts to it, the software itself, the voice, and the character. Most people will be familiar with the character, which is the representation of the software and the voice itself, and has become known as Vocaloid even though it was originally used to describe the software only.

Popularity

The main source of videos for composed songs is from Nico Nico Douga, and they are usually uploaded on Youtube. These videos usually only have a single image of the character on screen while the song composed is playing with the selected voice. The most popular ones however have detailed Promotional Videos that is shown in the video.

The popularity, while at first was only widespread in Japan, has become much more apparent in the present internationally. One of the more popular songs is “Nyanyanyanyanyanya!” which is known today as the theme of Nyan Cat. Even though not many know it, the original song was composed on the voice of Hatsune Miku, and later renditioned by Saraj00n on the voiced of an Utauloid(variant of the Vocaloid), Momo Momone, with the video of the Poptart Cat, and became popular under the name of Nyan Cat.

Hatsune Miku also had her debut concert in the U.S last July 2011. There were about 6,000 fans attending, and more were streaming pay-per view. Around the globe, Miku also had other concerts, and there were also many attendees during each of those concerts. And with the Vocaloid boom, going international, it will be a matter of time till it becomes known worldwide.