Exploring audience reception and cultural influences: The case of the virtual idol Noonoouri in European popular music

Abstract This study examines audience responses to the European virtual idol Noonoouri using an audience reception approach. While Japanese virtual idols have been widely studied, audience reception in European contexts remains underexplored. Using Python-assisted sentiment analysis combined with qualitative thematic analysis of YouTube comments, the study investigates how audiences evaluate Noonoouri’s music and digital persona regarding creativity, legitimacy, and cultural context in European mainstream music. Findings reveal predominantly negative responses, with scepticism regarding emotional expressiveness, originality, and impacts on human creativity, alongside occasional recognition of technical innovation. Audience interpretations clustered into three frameworks: ‘Emotional Authenticity and Affective Engagement’, ‘Authorship, Labour Ethics, and Creativity’, and ‘Cultural Value and European Mainstream Integration’. The results show that virtual idol reception cannot be understood through technical criteria alone; audiences actively negotiate cultural, ethical, and authenticity meanings, providing insight into how legitimacy is constructed for AI-generated music and virtual idols in European popular music contexts.