Liza Minnelli is stepping back into the music spotlight as she releases her first song in 13 years, but this time she has a little extra help.
The EGOT winner, 79, revealed that her new single, “Kids Wait Till You Hear This,” was created with the help of an AI-voice cloning company.
Liza Minnelli Defends Using AI in New Song
Getty“Hi Kids, I’m happy as a clam, laughing like hell and losing my mind!” Minnelli wrote in a Facebook post shared on Wednesday, January 21. “It’s all goin’ on at the time. Today, my first EDM single since The Pet Shop Boys era, released on @elevenlabsio , a Six Billion Dollar techno behemoth does amazing things.”
She continued, “Matthew McConaughey was an early investor. Smart. What I will not allow this great company to do? Create, clone or copy my voice! On this dance track, ‘Kids Wait Till You Hear This’ which is a tease for my book, we used AI arrangements. Not AI vocals.”
The “Arrested Development” alum admitted that she did get some pushback from critics about the use of AI, but she quipped that “a few trolls didn’t bother to read the truth, check with me or my partners.” However, she made it very clear that “the shout outs were all [hers].”
A Change From the EGOT Winner’s Usual Sound
Getty“Kids Wait Till You Hear This” features Minnelli delivering spoken lines over a techno beat instead of her traditional singing style, and it appears on ElevenLabs’ recent “The Eleven Album.” The album consists of 13 tracks, but Minnelli isn’t the only famous voice fans will hear.
Art Garfunkel of Simon & Garfunkel, along with singer Michael Feinstein, also blend their signature styles with the help of the AI-assisted production.
Minnelli also spoke about her return to the music world with “NBC News” on Thursday, January 22.
“I’ve always believed that music is about connection and emotional truth,” the “Cabaret” star said in a statement to the outlet. “What interested me here was the idea of using my voice and new tools in service of expression, not instead of it. This project respects the artist’s voice, the artist’s choices, and the artist’s ownership.”
This marks Minnelli’s first single since 2013’s “A Love Letter From the Times,” a track she recorded for the musical drama “Smash.” The “Arthur” star has largely stepped away from recording in recent years, making occasional public appearances following some health setbacks in the early 2000s. Her last studio album, “Confessions,” was released in 2010.
