Celine Dion and Elvis Presley’s Memorable Duet on American Idol Brings the King Back to Life

In 2007, American Idol amazed its audience by presenting a spectacular duet between Celine Dion and the legendary Elvis Presley. Thirty years after his death, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll was brought back virtually to perform alongside Dion. Utilizing advanced hologram technology, they delivered a captivating rendition of Presley’s 1968 hit, “If I Can Dream.”

The duet opened with Elvis Presley’s iconic voice initiating the melody, followed by a seamless interplay of lines between him and Celine Dion. Their voices melded beautifully in the chorus, with Dion’s powerful mezzo-soprano perfectly complementing Presley’s deep baritone. This performance not only highlighted Presley’s enduring stage presence and charisma but also brought his legendary persona into the 21st century.

The performance became a viral sensation on YouTube, amassing 26 million views. The hologram of Presley, crafted from his 1968 performance, appeared remarkably lifelike, with close-ups that seamlessly integrated into the duet. An Elvis impersonator was used for wider shots to enhance the realism. Dion’s parts were meticulously filmed five times from various angles to ensure a polished and seamless final edit.

Disney digital media designer Joe Husung shed light on the technology that made the duet possible: “Rotoscoping enables us to take an image from an existing video and place it into an entirely new environment – essentially repurposing that same piece of video in a novel way.” This innovative technique facilitated the breathtaking collaboration, merging past and present seamlessly.

You can view Presley’s original rendition of “If I Can Dream” from his legendary ’68 Comeback Special below—a performance that reinvigorated his recording career after dedicating seven years to film.

Watch the video below to experience this incredible performance.