HELLO HOLOGRAM ROAD: Simulated Elton Rumored to Headline New Vegas Hard Rock

• A British tabloid claims that Elton John signed a seven-figure deal to have a hologram headline the Hard Rock Las Vegas currently taking shape on the old Mirage site
• The rumored virtual show would use technology even more advanced than London’s ABBA Voyage
• Reps have not confirmed the deal, which contradicts John’s past anti-hologram statements

An Elton John hologram is rumored to be the headliner for one of the three new theaters currently under construction at Hard Rock Las Vegas (the former Mirage). According to British tabloid The Sun, Captain Fantastic has signed a seven-figure deal with the Seminole Tribe of Florida to launch a high-tech avatar residency on the Las Vegas Strip. The Hard Rock is currently scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2027.

The rumored production, which would take place right next door to Caesars Palace — where Elton performed two of the highest-grossing Las Vegas residencies of all time — would feature Elton dueting alongside Dua Lipa and Kiki Dee avatars. And, according to The Sun’s leak all would rendered via “more advanced” technology than London’s wildly successful ABBA Voyage show.

The 79-year-old music legend stepped away from touring in 2023, after 300 Farwell Yellow Brick Road shows.

Bennie and the Tech

While The Sun does break legit entertainment scoops, its reporting heavily relies on anonymous insider leaks that frequently prove incorrect. To date, neither Hard Rock International nor Elton John’s official representatives have confirmed that any such deal exists.

Furthermore, Elton John has historically been highly skeptical of digital performance concepts. At a January 2018 New York press conference officially announcing his retirement tour, he explicitly rejected the idea of a virtual avatar show.

“That’s the last thing I want,” John stated. “It’s like doing a duet album with someone who’s dead.” He then joked about his heirs eventually running out of money, adding, “Who knows, maybe they’ll go broke and they’ll put me back on the f***ing stage.”

However, given that he has retired from touring, it is entirely possible his camp has warmed up to the idea of a stationary digital residency. The staggering revenue generated by virtual concert platforms offers a compelling alternative for artists dealing with severe physical constraints. John has faced significant health hurdles since a severe eye infection contracted during a summer 2024 vacation in France left him completely blind in his right eye and with limited vision in his left.

The financial blueprint for this rumored venture already exists across the Atlantic. ABBA Voyage has lined the pockets of the Swedish pop icons since opening in London in May 2022. That production seamlessly blends high-tech motion capture with the band’s original, studio-isolated vocals, allowing digital “Abba-tars” to play to millions of fans without the aging musicians ever having to step onto a physical stage.