Brenda Lee Releases AI-Assisted Spanish Version Of ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree’
A Spanish version of Brenda Lee’s iconic holiday classic, “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,” has been released today for the first time, thanks to AI technology.
“Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” was first recorded 66 years ago, and last holiday season, was the No. 1 song in the U.S. for three weeks, topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart more than half a century after it was recorded and released in 1958 by the then 13-year-old star.
“Noche Buena y Navidad” was created under the production of four-time Latin Grammy-winning producer, Auero Baqueiro, keeping the original music and backing vocals while replacing Lee’s original lead vocals with a newly-translated Spanish vocal created using a new AI vocal model derived from her voice that was fully approved by Lee. The result is a new version of the cherished holiday tune that sounds as if 13-year-old Brenda Lee was in the booth singing it for the first time.
“I am so blown away by this new Spanish version of ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,’ which was created with the help of AI,” says 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.”
The track’s new vocal was created with the help of SoundLabs AI’s MicDrop, a cutting-edge AI 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. Earlier this year, Universal Music Group (UMG) entered into a groundbreaking strategic partnership with SoundLabs, which was founded by producer, composer, software developer and electronic artist BT.
“Noche Buena y Navidad” is the first collaboration with a UMG artist to be released and marks the first time that a music company has used ethically-trained AI to release a new language version of a classic song, created responsibly with the artist’s involvement and authorization.
“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,” says UMe President & CEO Bruce Resnikoff. “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.”
“The minute you hear Brenda Lee’s iconic voice on ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree’ you know it’s the official start of Christmas,” says UMG Nashville Chair & CEO Cindy Mabe. “The global hits 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.”
