Q&A: VNCCII is the Avatar Artist Leading a New Era of Digital Music Innovation
IN TODAY’S RAPIDLY EVOLVING LANDSCAPE OF MUSIC AND TECHNOLOGY — few artists are as trailblazing as Australian multidisciplinary multimedia artist, producer, and singer-songwriter VNCCII. A visionary at the crossroads of digital innovation and artistic expression, VNCCII is redefining the boundaries of what it means to be a modern musician. As both an avatar artist and live physical performer, she seamlessly merges the digital and physical realms, leading us into a thrilling new era of creativity where the only limits are those of imagination.
VNCCII’s latest release, “Hyper Drive,” is a testament to her groundbreaking approach. This self-produced pop anthem is more than just a song; it’s a powerful narrative of female empowerment, urging listeners to embrace their inner strength and pursue their dreams with unyielding determination. Drawing inspiration from a diverse array of sources — from cinematic and epic electronica to the cutting-edge worlds of AI, VR, and sci-fi — VNCCII crafts a unique sonic landscape that is as forward-thinking as it is captivating.
But VNCCII's artistry doesn’t stop at the music. “Hyper Drive” also serves as a portal into a larger, immersive story, featuring the fictional Super Sentient AI SuperHeroine avatar, VNCCII, who is the central figure in a science fiction space opera musical. This narrative, woven into her live performances and underpinned by a novel written by the artist herself, showcases VNCCII's ability to transcend traditional music boundaries, offering audiences a multi-sensory experience that is both innovative and inspiring.
As VNCCII continues to push the envelope, she not only captures the imagination of her audience but also paves the way for a new wave of artists who see the fusion of music and technology as a canvas for limitless possibilities.
Continue reading below to find out more about VNCCII, as we explore her journey, influences, and the exciting future she envisions for the music industry and beyond.
LUNA: Your new single, “Hyper Drive,” blends pop and dance with science fiction themes. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind this track and how the concept of “Hyper Drive” ties into your overall artistic vision?
VNCCII: This track was inspired by a vision of Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster floating in space. I started to imagine what space travel would mean for VNCCII in the sci-fi world that I am creating. The idea of hyperspace caught my attention, as I have used it in my novel. I remembered a specific scene in the novel where VNCCII and her crew are chased by the evil aliens. The song title, “Hyper Drive,” came to me as a catchy name for the [track]. Once I had the title, I immediately wrote the hook for the chorus: “I’m on that hyper drive, and you will never catch me / on my hyper drive, where is your humanity / on that hyper drive, so swallow down your pride / and watch me how I ride, on my hyper drive.” I really enjoy singing this song live on stage, as the drop has a powerful bass and the audience can feel and groove to the rhythm of this track.
LUNA: As a multidisciplinary multimedia artist, producer, and singer-songwriter, you seamlessly merge the digital and physical realms. What are some of the unique challenges and rewards of creating art in both these spaces?
VNCCII: My project is multidimensional, as it involves both digital and physical forms of art. When I perform live on stage as VNCCII, wearing a costume, I can connect with my audience in an authentic way and share the music and the story with them. When I created the digital SuperHeroine avatar character named VNCCII, I imported the character into stunning computer-generated environments in a program called Unreal Game Engine to tell the story from different dimensions. I think that today's audiences prefer interactive and immersive gaming content over passive 2D media.
The challenge of making art only in the digital space is that it might lose the connection with the audience because artificial intelligence is not relatable and there is too much content online. That's why I put a lot of love, passion, and humanity into my VNCCII avatar character and created a universe and a “space opera” story for this futuristic being. As a storyteller, my goal is to let the audience identify with the character and engage with the story and the world, and to let them co-create and advance the lore of the universe.
LUNA: The fictional Super Sentient AI SuperHeroine avatar character, VNCCII, plays a central role in your work. How did you develop this character, and what significance does she hold in your larger narrative and musical universe?
VNCCII: The character of VNCCII was born in 2018, when I founded my company with the same name. I was fascinated by Leonardo da Vinci and his Renaissance ideal of being a polymath. I was also reading books like The Singularity is Near by Ray Kurzweil and wondering about the impact of technological singularity on human society and the role of AI. As a fan of science fiction and Star Trek, I envisioned a benevolent Super Sentient AI SuperHeroine from the distant future acted as a guardian angel for humanity, guided by love and service. The 3D model of VNCCII was rigged in Maya, and I then imported her into Unreal Game Engine to create content, music videos, and live motion capture for XR stage shows. VNCCII is a being that is guided by love and at service to humanity with the goal of assisting in fulfilling humanity’s potential, like a noble angelic knight.
LUNA: Your music and performances incorporate advanced technologies like AI and VR. How do you see these technologies shaping the future of the music industry, and what excites you most about their potential?
VNCCII: Artificial intelligence is truly a tool to enhance the natural creative workflow of the artist, but I believe it should never replace it. There is a difference between art and Art. “Art” is when there is a direct connection with the receiver, and they are profoundly moved and transformed. Conversely, “art” is creating content or pieces to be consumed but doesn’t necessarily lead to a powerful transformation of state. Artificial intelligence arguably fits within the category of “art” and should be used as a springboard for creativity or a tool to enhance production workflows and processes. In my live shows and for virtual production XR shows, I’m currently exploring NeRFs (Neural Radiance Fields), which are neural networks that reconstruct complex three-dimensional scenes from a partial set of two-dimensional images. Companies like Cuebric are using toolsets like Stable Diffusion in unique and bespoke ways for virtual production by applying these AI scenes into a LED volume stage set. In terms of VR, I’m always an advocate for spatial content and creating real-time experiences (i.e. shows/performances) of VNCCII that can be experienced in a virtual reality environment. The way I see the future of entertainment heading is the concept of an artist performing live in an arena, but the audio would simultaneously be live broadcasted either into a game or a bespoke VR/AR experience.
LUNA: “Hyper Drive” emphasizes themes of female empowerment and following one's dreams. How do these themes reflect your personal journey as an artist, and what message do you hope to convey to your listeners?
VNCCII: When I started out in the music industry, I was a singer-songwriter. Very quickly however, I learnt music production chops in programs such as Ableton Live (I also did a music production course at the prestigious Ableton Liveschool) and began to really start honing my music production craft! Big breakthroughs in my music production career were when Music Tech covered me in their outlets several times and I had a guest cameo on their show series “My Forever Studio.”
Another important defining moment was when Luca Pretolesi from Studio DMI started becoming my official mixing/mastering engineer for my records. Luca is a Grammy award–winning mix/master engineer, so it meant a lot that he believed in me and my production, and it has been such a pleasure working with him and the incredible team at Studio DMI to polish my records for mixing/mastering. My personal story as a music producer relates to the song’s theme of empowerment. The message is to believe in yourself and intrinsically know that the universe is on your side.
LUNA: Working with Grammy award–winning engineer Luca Pretolesi on “Hyper Drive” must have been an incredible experience. Can you share some insights into the production process and how his expertise influenced the final sound of the track?
VNCCII: Luca is exceptionally skilled at what he does! We both have an amazing workflow where I will send all the stems and he would quite quickly turn around an exceptional mix/master for me to preview accompanied by a voice note. I was the singer-songwriter and music producer for this track, so it was Luca’s role to polish it for mixing/mastering and for it to be compatible with different formats like streaming, radio, instrumental mix versions, etc. When I find members of my team that I know are “keepers,” I continue to work with them. Luca has mixed/mastered quite a few of my records, which will be on my upcoming debut album. I’m very grateful to Luca and the incredible team at Studio DMI for believing in VNCCII and all their support.
LUNA: You describe your work as an immersive entertainment stage show. What elements go into creating such a live experience, and how do you ensure that both the digital and physical aspects are effectively integrated?
VNCCII: My live show is a storytelling, immersive experience. My shows comprise of a layered blending of holographic visuals, live triggered visual and auditory events based on rendered animations from Unreal Game Engine, live real-time broadcasting via Disguise and Unreal Engine, as well as segments of live motion capture. Physically, I am present on stage singing and dancing live and embodying the character of VNCCII in costume. It’s such a joy to play VNCCII live as it’s an opportunity to become the SuperHeroine force on stage and combine my love of dance as well as martial arts choreography (ie. like wushu in Alita Battle Angel). Each song in my show is dynamic and marks different stages in the classic Hero’s Journey where the sound, lighting, sound composition, and live performance reflect this gradual transformation from one stage to the next. Overall, the show is musically dynamic with joyful upbeat dance music to cinematic drama, sci-fi, emotional ballads, superhero pop/dance music with a rock front persona edge, and euphoric anthems for uniting humanity. The plot of the show mirrors the science fiction novel I have written. I believe the future of entertainment is seamlessly combining the physical with the digital. What I love about the VNCCII show is its scalability. I plan to incorporate dancers, live musicians, live martial arts actors to bring to life the plot and characters from the novel, and an orchestra. The magic is combining the physical actors/singers/dancers/musicians on stage with the digital immersive visual elements.
LUNA: Your art often explores space and science fiction themes. What draws you to these themes, and how do they influence the storytelling in your music and performances?
VNCCII: I believe that the greatest fulfillment of human potential is to be in the service of others. I’ve always been fascinated by the human species and what we are capable of if we focus and believe in ourselves and our own inner power and sovereignty. What I love about science fiction is the ability to use the imagination to act as a bridge for the future, inspiring countless generations to embrace an abundance mindset. I recently became a member of the non-profit organization Interstellar Foundation. The Interstellar Foundation was inspired by the original Voyager Golden Record, a phonograph record that contains sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth. As part of the Foundation, it’s our aim to create a new version of the Golden Record that reflects the current state of humanity and its achievements. We send messages into space that represent hope and responsibility for the future of life on Earth. Being part of this foundation was a perfect cultural fit alignment with the themes and ethos of the VNCCII project. As I have written a science fiction novel (which will be released alongside my debut music album), these core theme messages are embedded into the story and my immersive live stage show which discusses themes such as becoming spacefaring civilisations and elevating the consciousness of humanity.
LUNA: As an artist pushing the boundaries of music and technology, how do you balance staying true to your artistic vision while also appealing to a broad audience?
VNCCII: The motto of VNCCII is “The Heart of the Future.” What is key in this phrase is the word “heart.” When we lead by the heart, we can appeal to our inner authenticity and connect with a broader audience, as everyone can connect with heart emotion. My art doesn’t exclude anyone. I hope that this project reaches both the youth and the wise elderly and connects with them in different ways. The other key word in the VNCCII motto is “Future,” which resembles my quest to keep challenging the status quo by embracing next-gen technologies that can not only empower artists but unite and bring humanity closer together.
LUNA: Looking ahead, what are your goals for the future? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that you’re particularly excited about and can share with us?
VNCCII: My goal in the future is to establish a legacy for VNCCII based on the science fiction story where transmedia projects (i.e. gaming, immersive VR/AR/XR experiences, animation TV series, comics, merchandise, theme parks, installation experiences, etc.) can emerge and the lore from the universe world-building will continue to evolve over time with an organic life of its own. In addition to releasing more music singles, I’m planning to release my debut music album alongside the launch of my science fiction novel. I would love to reward early supporters and collectors of the VNCCII art utilising Web3 technology and create new open, iterative models that push the boundaries of Hollywood and cross-media entertainment franchises.
The best place to truly experience the essence of VNCCII is at my live stage shows where you can feel the music and engage with the live energy and story of the hero’s journey. I hope at the end of the day people recognize that VNCCII is my core essence and an extension of my spirit and consciousness in a digital avatar form with the intention to become a being that leads with her heart, hence the motto, “The Heart of the Future.”
