UPDATE: After the rumor that Justin Timberlake’s Super Bowl halftime performance would feature a hologram of Prince was met with widespread criticism from family, friends, and fans, percussionist Sheila E. took her concerns to J.T. himself. “Family, I spoke w/ Justin 2nite and he shared heartfelt words of respect for Prince & the Purple fans,” Sheila E. wrote in a tweet last night, after she saved the day. “I look 4wrd 2 seeing what I’m sure is going 2 be a spectacular halftime show. There is no hologram.”
As Consequence of Sound points out, Prince denied any interest in performing alongside a holograph of a deceased musician in an interview with Guitar World in 1998. “Certainly not,” he responded to the idea. “That’s the most demonic thing imaginable. Everything is as it is, and it should be. If I was meant to jam with Duke Ellington, we would have lived in the same age. That whole virtual reality thing… it really is demonic. And I am not a demon.”
To relive Prince’s magical 2007 performance, click here.
Justin Timberlake will perform at the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday night, marking the pop star’s first appearance at the big game since his infamous 2004 collaboration with Janet Jackson. In typical Internet fashion, the upcoming show has led to plenty of speculation, including rumors that Timberlake will team up with Jackson once again. Others have even theorized that an *NSYNC reunion is the works, which is within the realm of possibility considering the Super Bowl got Destiny’s Child back together when Beyoncé headlined in 2013.
However, TMZ reports that neither of those rumors will come to fruition when Timberlake takes the stage in Minneapolis. According to the celebrity gossip site, one big surprise that fans can expect to see on Sunday night is a hologram honoring hometown hero and former Super Bowl halftime show performer Prince, who died of an accidental opioid overdose at age 57 in April 2016.
TMZ’s report is light on details, so there’s no telling if the hologram will be used for a tasteful tribute or something more akin to Coachella’s digital resurrection of Tupac in 2012. Either way, the publication does have reason to believe that there will be a whole lot of fireworks–both literal and metaphorical–at U.S. Bank Stadium when defending champions the New England Patriots go to head-to-head with the Philadelphia Eagles.
[h/t – TMZ]