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AI just did something to one of the most popular Christmas songs of all time

Brenda Lee was all of 13 years-old when she recorded “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” in a Nashville studion on October 19, 1958. It has since become one of the most popular Christmas songs of all time, selling over 15 million copies and is a perennial hit every Christmas. (Fun fact: The writer, Johnny Marks, also wrote “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas;” the dude made millions before he died in 1985.)

Brenda Lee has done okay by the song, too. But at 79, her voice sounds substantially different than it did when she was 13. That, however, is no longer a problem thanks to AI.

Universal Music Group, the owners of “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” contacted a company called SoundLab, a group of boffins who focus on “ethically-trained” AI tools. They have a plugin called MicDrop.

“Could you make 13-year-old Brenda sing the song in Spanish?” they asked?

“Hold my beer,” said SoundLabs.

This new version, entitled “Noche Buena y Navidad,” is pure AI trained on Brenda’s voice from 1959. The music and the background vocals are original. The new lead vocals are not. Thoughts?

\Brenda loves it. “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.”

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 39195 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

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