Is this the real life or is it just fantasy for China’s virtual idols?
- Devoted fan cries when digital-only pop singer Amy wins real-life judges’ hearts in talent show
- The virtual stars are becoming part of mainstream Chinese life, appearing on billboards and even in news programmes
A teenage pop singer called Amy won a breakthrough virtual talent show in China on Saturday, after performing in front of three celebrity judges and tens of millions of online viewers. But the red-haired performer exists only in the digital world.
Liu Jun, who has followed Amy’s career from the start, said he cried when he saw her on the talent show, feeling the performer would finally get the bigger platform she deserved.
“You can’t see what they are like in real life, so you can have more fantasies about them,” said 28-year-old Liu, who has attended more than 10 of Amy’s concerts and fan events in recent years.
“The virtual idol is indestructible – as long as the image is still there, she can stay in your heart forever,” he added.
Amy found fame on “Dimension Nova”, which claims to be the world’s first talent show bringing together digital performers to dance and sing in front of real-life celebrity judges.