In 2018, Elton John told NME that posthumous hologram concerts were “spooky” and made clear he didn’t want a digital version of himself touring after his death. Now The Sun is reporting he’s signed a seven-figure deal for a hologram residency at the new Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. Here’s what you actually need to know — starting with the fact that neither Elton, his management, nor Hard Rock has confirmed a single word of it.
What The Sun Actually Reported
Anonymous sources, big claims, and zero official confirmation from anyone who actually matters.
The Sun’s story, picked up and echoed across entertainment aggregators, claims Elton will film performances at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire. Those recordings would then be rendered into a “lifelike hologram” for an “unlimited residency” at the new Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, which is taking over the former Mirage on the Las Vegas Strip.
The show — described by an unnamed source as “similar to the ABBA Voyage show in London, but far more advanced” — would reportedly include digital versions of Dua Lipa and Kiki Dee, nodding to “Cold Heart” and “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.” Some outlets cite 2027 as a launch date. No technical specifications, named tech partners, or construction timelines accompany any of these claims.
Every outlet repeating these details traces back to that one anonymous Sun source. That’s not a confirmation chain — that’s an echo chamber.
What’s verified vs. what’s rumour:
- Elton, 79, wrapped his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour in 2023 and has since stepped back from large-scale touring
- In a 2018 NME interview, he described posthumous hologram concerts as “spooky” and said he didn’t want one touring after his death
- Insiders cited by Oasis FM say his camp has “shut down” hologram rumours — “there’s nothing in the works”
- ABBA Voyage uses a 65-million-pixel LED screen and Industrial Light & Magic motion-capture to render the band as they looked in 1979, performing alongside a live backing band
- Hard Rock Las Vegas has announced no official entertainment lineup for the property
Plausible Doesn’t Mean Confirmed
The ABBA Voyage effect made this rumour feel inevitable — but feeling plausible and being real are very different things.
ABBA Voyage proved that avatar concerts can sell out a purpose-built arena night after night. That commercial reality — combined with Elton’s limited vision following a serious eye infection, his retirement from touring, and the straightforward business logic of a tech-driven residency for a legacy act — makes the story feel credible on the surface. Trademark filings can further create the illusion of concrete plans without actually committing to anything.
Yet the denial is just as sourced as the rumour. According to insiders cited by Oasis FM, Elton is simply “enjoying his time away from the road and spending it with his family.” Two sets of anonymous insiders, pointing in opposite directions, with no official voice anywhere in the room.
Hologram technology is advancing fast enough that the question for legacy artists is no longer whether it’s possible. It’s whether it’s right. Elton’s position was on record. Until he or Hard Rock speak publicly, the question of revolutionary instruments shaping these shows remains purely hypothetical. The Rocket Man stays grounded.
