Over the summer, Universal Music Group struck a strategic partnership with AI tech company SoundLabs focused on ‘ethically’ trained tools for music creators.
The plan was for SoundLabs, founded by Grammy-nominated producer, composer, software developer, and electronic artist BT, to equip UMG’s artists and producers with AI technology through its ‘MicDrop’ AI vocal plug-in.
The first AI-driven release from that partnership has now been announced: a Spanish language version of Brenda Lee’s iconic holiday hit, Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree, first recorded 66 years ago.
Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree topped the US Hot 100 for three weeks last year – over 50 years after it was first recorded and released (in 1958) by the then 13-year-old star.
The new version, Noche Buena y Navidad, was produced by Latin Grammy winner Auero Baqueiro. It uses the original music and background vocals while replacing Lee’s original lead vocals with a newly translated Spanish-language vocal.
The track was released today (October 25) via MCA Nashville and UMe, the global catalog division of UMG.
The new vocal for Noche Buena y Navidad was created using SoundLabs AI’s MicDrop audio plug-in, which allows a user to transform their voice into another voice or instrument.
In partnership with UMG, SoundLabs is creating official “ultra-high fidelity” vocal models for artists using their own voice data for training “while giving them full artistic approval and control of the output”.
UMG claims that the release marks the first time a music company has used “ethically trained AI” to release a new language version of a classic song, which it says was “created responsibly with the artist’s involvement and authorization”.
Universal has been a prominent player in the AI space over the past couple of years. In October last year, UMG partnered with BandLab Technologies for what they described as “an expansive, industry-first strategic relationship concentrated on artificial intelligence.” And in August last year, YouTube and UMG formed a partnership to jointly develop AI tools.
This month, UMG Chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge was named on Business Insider’s AI Power List 2024.
“I am so blown away by this new Spanish version of ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,’ which was created with the help of AI.”
Brenda Lee
“I am so blown away by this new Spanish version of ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,’ which was created with the help of AI,” said Brenda Lee.
“Throughout my career, I performed and recorded many songs in different languages, but I never recorded ‘Rockin’’ in Spanish, which I would have loved to do. To have this out now is pretty incredible and I’m happy to introduce the song to fans in a new way.”
“We are also very excited about the possibilities of this emerging technology and look forward to harnessing its capabilities to introduce new material created by and approved by our artists.”
Bruce Resnikoff, UMe
Added UMe President & CEO, Bruce Resnikoff: “We are thrilled to work with Brenda Lee to making ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree’ the first classic song translated responsibly into another language with the power of AI.
“We are also very excited about the possibilities of this emerging technology and look forward to harnessing its capabilities to introduce new material created by and approved by our artists.”
“We are all so excited for this new Spanish version created with the help of AI from that legendary voice and approved by Brenda Lee herself.”
Cindy Mabe, UMG Nashville
UMG Nashville Chair & CEO, Cindy Mabe, said: “The minute you hear Brenda Lee’s iconic voice on Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree you know it’s the official start of Christmas.
“The global hit has touched people all over the world and kept this young 13-year-old spirit of Christmas captured in a time capsule. We are all so excited for this new Spanish version created with the help of AI from that legendary voice and approved by Brenda Lee herself to help celebrate this enduring, timeless classic.”
“This project was a tremendously exciting showcase for MicDrop, our real-time voice-to-voice plugin.”
BT, SoundLabs
SoundLabs founder, BT, said: “This project was a tremendously exciting showcase for MicDrop, our real-time voice-to-voice plugin.
“Training a model based on the 13-year-old Brenda Lee, using original masters, was both a rewarding challenge and a creative breakthrough. We’re thrilled with how this technology breathes new life into a beloved Christmas classic, blending innovation with tradition in a truly human way.”
UMG noted on Friday that it supports bipartisan legislation introduced in the US Congress to protect individuals’ voice and visual likeness from unauthorized computer-generated recreations, using generative AI and other technologies, like deepfakes and voice/image clones.
The bill, known as the “NO FAKES Act” (S. 4875 in the Senate and H.R. 9551 in the U.S. House of Representatives) has support across the creative community.
Recently, Brenda Lee joined hundreds of artists, songwriters, and other creators supporting the legislation in an open letter published by the Human Artistry Campaign, the global organization backing Responsible AI.Music Business Worldwide