More and more artists are interested in bringing back the dead. 2Pac and Michael Jackson were brought to life via hologram, and both artists have “released” posthumous albums using old vocal tracks. But Barry Manilow has gone a step further, recording an entire album that features him singing duets with late singers. He performed his version of Whitney Houston‘s “I Believe in You and Me” with vocals from the late singer on The View, complete with visuals of a shadowy impersonator. Watch the performance below:
In an interview before the performance, Manilow talked about his idea for the new album, titled My Dream Duets. “They asked me to do a duets album and I thought, ‘How could I make my duets album different?'” he said. “I picked all of these people that I would have loved to sing with but they’re all gone.” The list includes Marilyn Monroe, Sammy Davis Jr., Dusty Springfield and Judy Garland.
Manilow’s idea is not completely unprecedented. Sampling allows an artist to duet with a late singer, but samples often change the original recording, emphasizing one part or speeding up a vocal. Writing full duets with past legends permits contemporary artists — at least those wealthy enough to obtain rights — to rewrite history in a new way.