Unlike those in the West, virtual influencers in Asia are almost always designed to be multi-talented, especially in the entertainment industry. This is most evident in the fact that there are quite a lot of virtual models who have released their own music albums.
Virtual humans with diverse backgrounds and unique characteristics
Hatsune Miku (Youtube: @HatsuneMiku)
In 2004, Crypton Future Media (actually YAMAHA) released a voice synthesizer software called VOCALOID. This was the predecessor to many virtual singers such as MEIKO, KAITO, Kagamine Rin and Len, Lily, the most successful of which is Hatsune Miku. Starting out as simply a software, Hatsune Miku has grown into a global phenomenon, with profits that can reach up to 35 million USD a year.
Debuting in August 2007, Hatsune Miku is a world-renowned virtual singer. As of now, Miku’s Youtube channel has received 2.47 million subscribers, with a series of iconic songs such as Ievan Polkka, World is Mine, Anamanaguchi (this one’s a composer), Hazy Moon, … Hatsune Miku is also famous for being able to fill the audience at Hologram performances during her own MIKU EXPO tour.
Additionally, Hatsune Miku also collaborates with many companies to release products with her own mark, as well as promote for famous brands, including Givenchy Haute Couture and Louis Vuitton. It can be said that Miku is one of the role models that virtual influencers aspire to.
Seraphine Song (@seradotwav)
Seraphine is one of the most popular “champions” (the term used for the in-game characters) in the game League of Legends, developed by Riot Games. Originally a character with a musical background, in the K/DA project in 2020, Seraphine was chosen by Riot Games to become a virtual singer and songwriter.
Seraphine has a cute appearance with long, fluffy pink hair (later dyed blue-purple) and a dynamic, personal fashion sense. During her journey on Earth, Seraphine collaborated with many artists and released 4 songs including All The Things She Said, Childhood Dreams, POP/STARS and Made Me This Way. These songs have gained a lot of views on music streaming platforms.
Sadly, on November 8, 2020, Seraphine had announced on her Instagram account with nearly 374,000 followers that she would end her journey as a virtual singer on Earth, take a break and get ready for new beginnings.
KizunaAI (A.I. Channel – @a.i.channel_official)
Virtual YouTubers, or VTubers, are content creators on YouTube who use a virtual avatar instead of their real face and voice. Kizuna AI is one of the first VTubers in the world.
Like other YouTubers, Kizuna AI also uploads videos related to her daily life, discussions, Q&As, and game-related livestreams on her YouTube channel, with a total of over 4 million subscribers across all three channels. Kizuna has also branched out into other social media platforms, most notably Bilibili and Instagram.
Recently, Kizuna has also started producing her own music videos, as well as covering popular songs. (homegirl went offline in 2022)
Imma (@imma.gram)
Imma is a virtual girl and model in Japan managed by the company Aww Tokyo. Debuting on July 12, 2018, Imma was selected for the “New 100 Talents To Watch” list by Japan Economics Entertainment. With her signature pink bob hair and fashion sense, Imma has attracted over 400,000 followers on her personal Instagram.
As a model, Imma has appeared in many fashion and business magazines. She has also taken part in many advertising campaigns for famous fashion brands such as Porsche Japan, IKEA, Dior, Puma, Nike, Valentino, Amazon and Calvin Klein, etc.
What makes Imma special is her curiosity. She questions herself and is interested in exploring art museums and fashion, thereby learning about herself through human culture.
Rozy Oh (@rozy.gram)
Rozy is renowned for being the first virtual influencer in Korea. Besides her main career as a model, she is also venturing into the music industry and promises to release her debut album soon.
Known for her extremely rich expressions, along with a fashion sense that keeps up with the trend, Rozy has gained over 123,000 followers on Instagram. It is also through this social media platform that she connects with fans using posts, comments, or fashion magazine photoshoots. Rozy is quite popular with Gen Z.
Virtual girls from Vietnam (@e.m.oi)
E.M – The Girl from AI – is a model and virtual influencer from Vietnam. Brought to you by Ogilvy T&A and Colory Animation Studio, E.M has a very ordinary appearance, with a slightly chubby face, shoulder-length hair, and to add to the realism, the ends of her hair are often slightly frizzy.
E.M has participated in advertising campaigns for Môi Điên, and the “BACK TO THE FUTURE” collection in collaboration with Mel Essential. On her own social media channels, besides sharing fashion lookbook photos, E.M also posts about her daily activities, such as her hobbies and some interesting thoughts.
Ann (@ann.virtualgirl)
Ann is a virtual singer and model created by BOBO STUDIO. Similar to E.M, Ann also has a short bob haircut that looks cute and energetic. She follows a fairly diverse fashion style, but still exudes a gentle, feminine look as well as the characteristic features of an Asian.
Recently, Ann has debuted as a virtual singer with the music video “Làm Sao Nói Thương Anh”. She has received positive feedback from the audience, as well as appearing in famous newspapers and magazines, typically the April 2023 issue of L’Officiel.
Chang Mi (Chang Mi)
Chang Mi is a product of a group of young people in Hanoi. She possesses a refined and very “real” beauty. This comes from the huge investment in detail from the eyes to the expression of the production team. Chang Mi is also considered a fashionista as she always keeps up with the latest fashion trends.
Vie
In addition to the entertainment industry, virtual humans are also known as assistants for banking systems. VIB recently launched a virtual financial assistant project featuring virtual financial expert and singer Vie, promising to bring a great experience to users.
Sources:
https://www.virtualhumans.org/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/maybefashiontalk
University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City – School of Media Design
