Édith Piaf’s Voice Re-Created Using AI So She Can Narrate Own Biopic

Photo: Edith Piaf | By Ben Beaumont-Thomas, The Guardian | Sixty years after her death, Édith Piaf’s voice will be re-created using AI to narrate her biopic. As reported by Variety, Warner Music Group (WMG) has partnered with the Piaf estate to produce the feature-length film Edith. Artificial intelligence has been trained to replicate Piaf’s voice by feeding it hundreds of voice clips, with WMG promising the resultant re-creation will “further enhance the authenticity and emotional impact of her story”.

Animation will be used to provide “a modern take” on the La Vie en Rose singer’s story, “while the inclusion of archival footage, stage and TV performances, personal footage and TV interviews will provide audiences with an authentic look at the significant moments of Piaf’s life”. The French singer’s original performances will also be used, with no announcement that the AI tech will be used to develop new music.

The film is at a proof-of-concept stage, with WMG partnering with production company Seriously Happy to develop it further.

Julie Veille, director of French documentaries on Diana Ross, Sting and Stevie Wonder, conceived it. “When creating the film, we kept asking ourselves, ‘If Édith were still with us, what messages would she want to convey to the younger generations?’”, she said in a statement. “Her story is one of incredible resilience, of overcoming struggles and defying social norms to achieve greatness – and is as relevant now as it was then. Our goal is to utilise the latest advancements in animation and technology to bring the timeless story to audiences of all ages.”

The executors of Piaf’s estate, Catherine Glavas and Christie Laume, said: “It’s been a special and touching experience to be able to hear Édith’s voice once again – the technology has made it feel like we were back in the room with her. The animation is beautiful and through this film we’ll be able to show the real side of Édith – her joyful personality, her humour and her unwavering spirit.”
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https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/nov/14/edith-piaf-voice-recreated-using-ai-so-she-can-narrate-own-biopic

Photo: Edith Piaf | http://www.facebook.com/edithpiafofficial