'Alter Ego': Kobe Vang aka Kai eliminated, judges praise him for his powerful rifts

Although the judges were thoroughly impressed, it was not enough to save Kobe Vang and his avatar from elimination
 Kai (Contestant Kobe Vang) as seen on 'Alter Ego' (Greg Gayne/FOX)
 Kai (Contestant Kobe Vang) as seen on 'Alter Ego' (Greg Gayne/FOX)

For the contestants of 'Alter Ego', the show allows them to fulfill their dreams of becoming a singer while portraying to the world precisely what they feel like from the inside out. For Kobe Vang from Wisconsin, it has been a lifelong dream to be in a boyband. However, Vang works in an assembly line, and taking care of his family meant his singing dreams took the back seat.

Vang, who believes he has a babyface, doesn't quite fit the bill of a boy band member but hopes to live vicariously through Kai. Ready to rock the stage, here's how Vang impressed judges Alanis Morissette, Nick Lachey, Grimes, and will.i.am with his powerful rifts and stage presence.

RELATED ARTICLES

'Alter Ego' Full Cast List: Meet virtual avatars set to compete on FOX reality show

'Alter Ego': Release date, spoilers and all about FOX virtual reality singing show

Vang went with the quintessential boyband look for his avatar, complete with a mohawk, a sleeveless puffer jacket, and exceptionally high energy levels. Nick Lachey appreciated the boyband vibe, having been in one himself, and even asked Vang about who his favorite band was. Vang mentioned that his favorite boy band is Backstreet Boys, so it came as no surprise that he performed 'Larger Than Life' by the Backstreet Boys. You can check out his performance here. 



 

Fans were instantly in love with his voice and persona. "Kai's definitely "larger than life". He's so cool! #AlterEgoFOX" tweeted a fan. "Ok Kai is a force! Kid got some pipes! #AlterEgoFOX" added another. "The fact that Kai picked a BSB song makes my heart happy #AlterEgoFOX" tweeted a fan. 



 



 



 

Even will.i.am praised him for his powerful rifts, stating that they could either be terrific or horrific and that Vang fell under the former. However, compared to the rest of the performers, Vang wasn't able to make the mark, seeing that the audience voted to save Wolfgang Champagne and Safara. This meant that the judge had to pick between him and Flammia's The Loverboy. After careful consideration, the judges went with The Loverboy, resulting in Vang's elimination. As a part of his exit reveal, Vang performed 'Bye Bye Bye' by NSYNC.



 

Before he could walk away, Nick Lachey reminded him that he should keep singing no matter what, seeing that he is a very talented singer after all. 


Catch 'Alter Ego' Season 1 on Wednesdays at 9/8c on FOX.

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

A dangerous former client targets top divorce attorney Allura Grant with a series of escalating attacks before holding her hostage at gunpoint
2026-11-05T08:27:49.000Z
Joe Miñoso left 'Chicago Fire' in the procedural's momentous 300th episode
2026-11-05T07:53:12.000Z
‘Chicago Fire’ honors a fan favorite character in its 300th episode
2026-11-05T05:51:40.000Z
‘Chicago Med’ focuses on Dr Wu’s pursuit of the Chief Resident position in its latest episode
2026-11-05T04:50:53.000Z
Tomlin risks Cruz’s job to convince Severide in the latest episode of ‘Chicago Fire’
2026-11-05T03:47:56.000Z
The untitled Hulu series follows Leavitt and her family as she handles new fame and career ambitions
2026-11-05T03:29:58.000Z
The ‘All’s Fair’ cast return for a second season of divorce cases and personal drama. Here’s when new episodes arrive, where to watch and what to know about before the finale.
2026-11-04T16:46:27.000Z
'Batman: Knightfall Part 2' unveils a first-look clip as Azrael takes up the cowl after Bruce Wayne is left paralyzed by Bane.
2026-11-04T16:27:06.000Z
Owen Wilson returns to the green in ‘Stick’ Season 2. Here’s your guide to Apple TV’s weekly episode rollout, streaming details and finale date.
2026-11-04T15:48:30.000Z
'Trinity,' starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Richard Madden, follows a naval officer who suspects the US Secretary of Defense is at center of a conspiracy.
2026-11-04T15:21:56.000Z