Michael Jackson Xscape hologram made a special appearance at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards! The King of Pop's video-projected self performed "Slave to the Rhythm" from his new album Xscape.
And just like the real deal, this Michael had incredible moves as he danced across the stage with perfectly in sync dancers.
Introduced by Brad Paisley, Ludacris and Kesha, Michael's performance opened as he sat in a throne. The King of Pop rocked a blinged-out jacket and red leather pants.
Like the Tupac hologram before him, Michael's hologram certainly got the crowd pumped up. The audience at the MGM Grand danced along to the performance while a few of the attendees wiped away tears.
The Hologram performance was in limbo before the show as the owners of technology used to digitally resurrect Tupac Shakur have asked a federal judge to block the use of their techniques in any effort to project a Michael Jackson hologram at Sunday's Billboard Music Awards.
Hologram USA Inc. and Musion Das Hologram Ltd. sued Jackson's estate and producers of the awards show Thursday in a Nevada federal court in an attempt to block any appearance of a Jackson hologram at Sunday's ceremony.
Show producers have promised a history-making performance by Jackson. The segment at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena will be used to promote the singer's latest posthumous album, "Xscape."
A federal judge ruled Friday that the Billboard Music Awards can use a hologram of the deceased pop icon, rejecting efforts from tech companies seeking to block the digital performance.
Other performers Sunday included Florida Georgia Line and Luke Bryan, who were crowd favorites when they performed "This Is How We Roll." Even Carrie Underwood and her hockey player-husband Mike Fisher sang along.
Ariana Grande, who turns 21 next month, was semi-racy when she sang her hit "Problem" in a mini black and white dress alongside rapper Iggy Azalea. Grande was nominated for best new art, but she lost to breakthrough New Zealander Lorde.
Lorde also won top rock song for the ubiquitous hit, "Royals." The 17-year-old entered the night as the top contender, along with Imagine Dragons, where the Billboard Music Awards marked a homecoming for the band.
Imagine Dragons is also up for the night's biggest honor, top award. The group will battle Perry, Miley Cyrus, Bruno Mars, and Justin Timberlake, who won top Billboard 200 album and accepted in a video as he's on tour outside of the country. He sang "thank you" along with his band.
Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez kicked off the awards show with a colorful performance of the World Cup anthem, "We Are One (Ole Ola)," where Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte also joined in. Robin Thicke and John Legend, whose song "All of Me" is currently No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, will also perform.
