When you think of gloves and musicians, perhaps Michael Jackson first comes to mind. But why does Grande wear gloves, and what do they have to do with her music?
Created in partnership with singer-songwriter Imogen Heap, hi-tech Mi.Mu Gloves were worn by Ariana Grande during her Honeymoon Tour in March of 2015. She used the gloves to change the sound of her voice and produce a series of unique loops and beats without the need for background music.
So, what exactly are Mi.Mu Gloves, and how have they changed the way Grande performs at her shows? Read on to find out more.
More Than Just an Accessory
While it might look more like a fashion statement at first glance, Ariana’s on-stage gloves aren’t there to keep her warm. They are, in fact, a groundbreaking wearable musical instrument designed to heighten the user’s experience.
In November of 2014, three months before the beginning of The Honeymoon Tour, Grande modelled her new eye-catching hand warmers on her Instagram, gushing about her adoration for being fitted for her own personal pair. “I’m on a cloud ☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️ can’t wait to use them on stage hopefully very soon”.
She continued sharing her experience with her Arianators, posting another shot wearing the gloves after working with the Mi.Mu team to learn how to get comfortable using them.
Revolutionary Technology
How do the Mi.Mu Gloves work?
These technologically sophisticated gloves were originally designed in collaboration with English singer-songwriter, record producer, and sound engineer Imogen Heap.
Mi.Mu’s systems engineer, Kelly Snook, describes Imogen’s motivation for creating the instrument as wanting something to capture the multifaceted nature of her music.
“For Imogen, her music that she creates in studio is very rich and layered and full of interesting sounds that she spent hours meticulously crafting and sampling,” Kelly continues, “She found that it didn’t translate well in a performance, when she had to turn a knob or a fader or push a button. Her motivation was partly to get away from all the buttons and just gesturally do something in an intuitive way.”
Mi.Mu Gloves are made up of a series of sensors that recognize fingers bending and motions from the whole hands and arms. LED indicator lights are paired with vibrations to provide tactile feedback, and they also have Wi-Fi connectivity.
Users can either utilize their own voices to generate and control sounds and harmonies, or the gloves can be mapped with Mi.Mu’s “Glover” software which connects to other music software like Ableton Live and Logic Pro.
Essentially, these gloves aim to blend the connection between technology and music. They endeavor to expand the possibilities of an artist through augmenting sounds in a more interactive way, without needing to touch a traditional instrument.
Grande can be seen performing with her Mi.Mu Gloves in this YouTube video filmed on the 1st of March 2015 in Saint Paul, Minnesota:
Electronic artists, like DJs, can choose to use these gloves to elevate their performance for their audience in a more interactive way. They can perform using their own chosen gestures or body language, rather than pressing buttons or spinning knobs.
Where Are The Gloves Now?
Ariana is yet to be seen wearing them since her 2015 world tour, but the gloves have become more readily accessible to the general public despite their unsuccessful Kickstarter campaign to reach a $200,000 goal.
They are the second-generation version of the original gloves that Grande wore, and they are now constructed using materials that are recycled.
As of April 2019, a pair of Mi.Mu Gloves became available for preorder on their website for a cool £2,500, or around $3000. As well as musicians and DJs, dancers are also the target market as they can use the gloves to enhance the overall feel of their performances.