Melanie Martinez has received backlash on social media after giving a VIP meet-and-greet session utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) during her current Portals tour. Last weekend, the artist performed at the Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre in North Carolina. There, a few fans paid a steep $356 for VIP packages which included a meet-and-greet.
What Actually Happened?
The description of the VIP package on Ticketmaster offered an “interactive portals photo experience” for fans. This lead some fans to believe they would meet the artist in person. However, TikTok videos showed a different reality, as ecstatic followers were instead greeted with an AI-generated hologram of Melanie.
Melanie Martinez Is Criticized
Melanie wore a khaki green dress with a flesh-colored top and matching stockings in the hologram, sticking true to the subject of her current album. The AI-generated image had four huge eyes, pursed lips, and gigantic ears. When the hologram emerged in front of the admirers, it gestured, appeared for the camera with its arms at its sides, curtsied, blew a kiss, and then rapidly disappeared. The contentious VIP experience sparked a flood of complaints on TikTok.
See How People React
Melanie’s meet-and-greet enraged internet users. One person tweeted with a gif,
“Thinking how Melanie Martinez is actually charging people for an ai meet and greet.”
thinking how melanie martinez is actually charging people for an ai meet and greet pic.twitter.com/GvasMqujBl
— lizzy (@shrrooms) June 25, 2023
Another person added,
“Melanie Martinez is really a scammer for those AI meet and greets I would have pulled her plug out.”
melanie Martinez is really a scammer for those AI meet and greets 🫢 I would have pulled her plug out 👊🏼👊🏼👊🏼👊🏼⚡️💥 pic.twitter.com/S8YU1gZVx6
— Kurt_Fabulous (@kurt_fabulous) June 26, 2023
A third stated,
“I see people keep mentioning how other celebrities charge wayyy more for things in general and, ok? they shouldn’t and its gross that they do, have u seen the price of taylor swift tickets, it’s disgusting, and melanie martinez is doing ai meet and greets, shit is crazy.”
i see people keep mentioning how other celebrities charge wayyy more for things in general and,, ok? they shouldnt and its gross that they do, have u seen the price of taylor swift tickets, it’s disgusting, and melanie martinez is doing ai meet and greets,, shit is crazy
— meg (@xofiatp) June 28, 2023
Another person commented,
“IM CRYING WT THIS MELANIE MARTINEZ AI MEET AND GREET I could’ve photoshopped this when I was 12.”
IM CRYING WT THIS MELANIE MARTINEZ AI MEET AND GREET I could’ve photoshopped this when I was 12 pic.twitter.com/CGLKnm4nZO
— mimi (@mattyispeng) June 27, 2023
Melanie’s Supporters
Despite the criticism, several people defended Melanie’s unconventional approach. One fan claimed that there wasn’t ever a guarantee of a typical meet-and-greet and that she loved the performance experience. “The only people who meet Melanie before concerts are a few people who won contests (usually radio contests) for each show,” she said, adding that her ticket cost $355.90 and featured a VIP-exclusive merch pack and a commemorative VIP laminate. She said,
“I will say, however, nobody has seemed to receive the ‘Exclusive Portals VIP Digital collectible’ that was listed and no one’s really sure what it is. Also I noticed there is a mouse cursor on the overlay of my photo with ‘Melanie’, which I thought was because they were running late to set up at my venue, but came to realize it’s on everyone’s. Even at different venues which seems like they didn’t really seem to care too much about this part sadly. But the concert itself was an amazing experience from the backup dancers to the stage effects. She nailed the performance,”
Who Is Melanie Martinez?
Melanie is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She rose to prominence after appearing on the third season of the reality television show ‘The Voice in 2012. Melanie, who was born on April 28, 1995, in Baldwin, New York, acquired an early interest in music and the arts. Her distinct style, which combines dark, alternative music as well as emotionally loaded lyrics, immediately gained a devoted following.
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