‘Alter Ego’ Premiere Shows How Technology Can Boost Singers’ Confidence
FOX Media LLC Reading Time: 3 minutes
New singing competition Alter Ego premiered Wednesday night on FOX after The Masked Singer. The series, hosted by Rocsi Diaz, uses modern motion-capture technology to put a totally new spin on the classic talent show format.
The show’s contestants design their own avatar, or “Alter Ego.” They control the avatar’s movements from backstage while they perform. The winner of this season will receive $100,000, as well as the mentorship of the show’s celebrity judges — Alanis Morissette, Grimes, Nick Lachey, and Will.i.am.
Wednesday’s premiere showed just how impressive the motion capture technology is, as contestants did everything from running their hands through their hair to crying in real time as their avatars. Aside from the technical aspects, Alter Ego also gives singers a confidence boost, as they don’t have to worry about being judged on anything other than their incredible voices.
Dipper Scott Totally Kills It on ‘Alter Ego’
The standout performance from Wednesday’s premiere came from Dipper Scott, whose real name is Jack Thomsen. Jack shared that he has Crohn’s disease, which has made it difficult to pursue music. However, his Alter Ego Dipper doesn’t have the disease.
Dipper performed “Unsteady” by X Ambassadors for his first performance. He showed off an emotional, raw voice with just enough gravel to keep it interesting. Audience members could be seen wiping away tears during the moving performance. His Alter Ego was also seriously unique, as the tattoos on his arms even moved around!
The judges loved it, with Lachey saying he “made it seem effortless,” while Morissette said she “could listen to your voice all day long.” The other contestants delivered strong performances, but there was something really special about Dipper. He could be the one to beat this season.
SEE ALSO: MEET THE 20 CONTESTANTS OF ‘ALTER EGO’S FIRST SEASON BEFORE THEY HIT THE STAGE
Seven’s Performance Is What the Show Is All About
The episode ended with a performance from Seven, aka Kyara Tetreault. She shared that she was bullied in school and misgendered because of her deep voice. That voice just made her even more memorable when she took the stage as her Alter Ego.
Seven performed “Take Me to Church” by Hozier, showing off a totally unique voice that wowed the judges. Grimes called her “super original.” When Will.i.am noticed that her microphone was shaking from nervousness, Kyara broke down in tears — and so did her avatar.
The singer shared what it means to be able to perform on the show, without being afraid to be herself. The judges and host Rocsi Diaz cried right along with her. Her story represented just how meaningful this show’s concept can be for the contestants.
Who Was Eliminated? What Is the Diamond?
The Alter Ego premiere introduced the “diamond,” which allows one contestant from the episode to automatically move on to the next round. The episode’s first performer (Queen Dynamite, aka Dasharra Bridges) took the diamond to start, but the judges voted to replace her with Dipper Scott, aka Jack Thomsen. He finished the episode on the diamond, meaning he automatically moved on.
The audience also had the opportunity to save two contestants from elimination during Wednesday’s episode, while the judges could save one. Queen Dynamite and Seven were chosen by the audience to move on, while the judges chose to save Misty Rose. That means that Bernie Burns, aka Erny Nunez, was eliminated.
Alter Ego will return for the second half of the premiere on Thursday night on FOX. Which contestant do you think has the coolest avatar? Who has the best singing voice? Let us know how you feel about the show and its concept in the comments below.
