When Elvis Presley – also known as “The King” – passed away in 1977, the world went into mourning. Back in 2022, however, for one night and one night only, he was brought back from the dead. The night in question was the finale of season 17 of America’s Got Talent, and his resurrection came courtesy of the multimedia act Metaphysic, who used the powers of AI, deep fakes, and voice synthesis to project The King’s face onto a tribute act and thereby give the impression he had been brought back to life.
Although this might sound like an ambitious feat, from the first few seconds of their act it was clear that Metaphysic had pulled it off. Simon Cowell’s jaw was wide open in astonishment from the beginning, watching in awe as the incredibly lifelike deepfake Elvis declared “it sure is an honour to be here on America’s Got Talent,” and then launched into a faultless rendition of The King’s iconic track ‘Hound Dog’. Little did Simon know, however, that an even bigger shock was on the way.
Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a deepfake Simon appeared on the stage and started to sing ‘You’re the Devil in Disguise’ as a duet with Elvis. The entire audience erupted into laughter while the real Simon covered his face in shock and grinned broadly at the originality of what he was witnessing. Deepfakes of Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara even made an appearance, performing as Elvis’s backing singers and dancers – much to the delight and amusement of the real-life Heidi and Sofia.
If you need further proof of just how accurate Metaphysic’s deepfake Elvis performance was, meanwhile, check out this performance of ‘Hound Dog’ from the real Elvis back in 1956. Accompanied by the frenzied screams of teenage girls, the King belts out the classic rock’n’roll track alongside some of his infamous hip swiveling and leg shaking. Metaphysic’s version of Elvis might not be the real thing, but after watching this video you can’t help but think that they came pretty darn close.
Unsurprisingly, the judge’s feedback following Metaphysic’s performance was overwhelmingly positive, particularly the comments which came from Simon, who was clearly blown away by the potential of this futuristic act. “This, in my opinion, is probably the most incredible, original act we’ve ever had,” he said. “You’re so creative. You’re going to have your own show in Vegas, no question about it. If you’re watching this at the Luxor Hotel. Get ready, this is it.”
In the end, Metaphysic took fourth place in America’s Got Talent, and there’s no news yet on when they’re going to get that show in Vegas. What the team at Metaphysic does have, however, is a hugely distinctive and original act that represents a significant part of where the entertainment music industry is surely heading over the next few decades. For more intriguing and innovative content by Metaphysic, feel free to follow their Facebook page or visit their official Website.