Universal Music Group on Friday released a Spanish version of country music star Brenda Lee’s 1958 hit song “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” using SoundLab’s AI technology.

The song is called “Noche Buena y Navidad” in Spanish and was created with Lee’s approval under award-winning Latin music producer Auero Baqueiro.

Universal Music said the song shows how AI can be used while respecting artists and ensuring their full authorization.

The ethical use of artificial intelligence in the entertainment industry has been a point of discussion following several incidents where AI-generated content raised concerns about copyright infringement and artist consent.

The track’s vocals were done using SoundLab’s MicDrop, an artificial intelligence vocal plugin that allows users to transform their voice into another voice or instrument.

The song used the original score and backing vocals while replacing Lee’s lead vocals with a newly translated Spanish-language vocal, created using the AI ​​vocal model derived from the Country Music Hall of Fame member’s voice.

“The result is a new version of the familiar and cherished holiday classic that sounds as if 13-year-old Brenda Lee was in the booth singing it for the first time,” Universal Music said.

Universal Music signed a deal with SoundLabs in June to create official high-quality vocal models for artists who use their own vocal data for training, while retaining control of ownership and giving them full artistic approval.