Universal Music uses AI to “translate” an old country song into Spanish

Image source: universalmusic.com

The new Spanish-language track, “Noche Buena y Navidad,” was created with the permission of Ms. Lee herself and was helmed by award-winning Latin music producer Auero Baqueiro. The release of this track demonstrates how artificial intelligence can be used in the music industry while still paying tribute to artists, Universal Music noted. The ethics of using AI in the entertainment industry remain a matter of debate, with several cases where AI-generated content has raised concerns about copyright infringement and possible artist consent.

The vocal part in the composition was recorded using the SoundLabs MicDrop AI plugin – it allows you to convert the original voice into another voice, or into a musical instrument. The song retains the original music and backing vocals, but replaces Lee’s main part with vocals in the original sound, but with a translation into Spanish. “The result is a new version of a familiar and beloved holiday classic that sounds like 13-year-old Brenda Lee was in the studio singing it for the first time,” Universal Music said.

In June, the music publisher struck an agreement with SoundLabs to create high-quality samples of artists’ vocals, while they retain copyright and the right to exercise creative control over the projects.