Ladies and gentlemen welcome to the future. CAA has signed Lil Miquela, a 19-year-old Brazilian-American model, musical artist, and influencer with over a million Instagram followers. Oh, and she's completely computer-generated.
Yes, you read that right.
She's not "real."
She is an avatar puppeteered by Brud, an L.A.-based start-up of “engineers, storytellers, and dreamers” who specialize in artificial intelligence and robotics. She was launched on Instagram in April 2016 and today she has 2.2 million followers, plus almost 550,000 on TikTok.
And now, their creation has top-tier representation at CAA.
Miquela is in this to make money. Brud has inked brand partnerships for Miquela with Samsung, Prada, Calvin Klein, YouTube, and more.
And that doesn't take into account her singing career.
According to Variety, "CAA will work with Miquela in all areas, including TV, film, and brand strategy and commercial endorsements, raising the prospect of a movie or show featuring the character. WME confirmed that it formerly repped Miquela in partnership with Brud."
So Miquela left one giant agency for another.
Wild.
So what does Brud say Miquela can do? They cite her “unique capabilities” as a virtual personality and singer as having "the power to inspire a new generation of entertainment.”
Brud reps told Variety, “Miquela, like many artists, uses pitch-correction tools and other software to make sure she’s nailing her performance. She may be a robot but nobody’s perfect.” In an FAQ on Brud’s website, in response to the question “Is Miquela real?”, the company says that she is “As real as Rihanna.”
In 2018, Time magazine named her one of the 25 Most Influential People on the Internet.
2020 is pretty weird and only getting weirder.
The insertion of CGI performers is just another moment in time. It'll be interesting to see what they can book with her. And if any studios take the leap to cast her in something. She seems tailor-made for a Her-like movie or TV show.
Adam Friedman, CAA global client strategy executive, said in a statement. “We are excited to jump in and help her navigate the world of television and film, and also see a unique opportunity for innovative, forward-thinking brands to align with a culturally relevant, icon-in-the-making.”
Only time will tell what happens with Miquela.
