Hatsune Miku is a virtual singer and vocal synthesizer software developed by Crypton Future Media, first released in 2007. She is personified as a 16-year- old girl with long turquoise twintails and is known as a "VOCALOID," which is a voicebank software that enables users to synthesize singing by inputting lyrics and melody
. Her name means "the first sound of the future," reflecting her role as the first in Crypton's "Character Vocal Series." The voice samples for Hatsune Miku were provided by Japanese voice actress Saki Fujita
. Unlike traditional singers, Miku is a computer-generated persona who performs live concerts as a 3D holographic projection, filling concert halls worldwide and collaborating with major artists
. Hatsune Miku has become a global cultural phenomenon, with over 100,000 songs created using her voice, a vast international fanbase, and numerous live performances across Japan, the United States, and other countries
. She is unique in that her music and image are crowd-created, with fans and producers worldwide contributing to her repertoire and popularity
. In summary, Hatsune Miku is a pioneering virtual idol and singing synthesizer software that has transcended technology to become a beloved global music and cultural icon
