Cult Figure Edith Piaf "Speaks" Through AI in a New Biopic

The voice of the French chanson legend, globally renowned singer Edith Piaf, has been reproduced using artificial intelligence. The sound will be used to voice the narrative of the biographical film about the performer. The Ukrainian company Respeecher was responsible for replicating Piaf's voice.

This information was reported by The Guardian.

It is noted that Warner Music Group (WMG) has made an agreement with the administrators of Edith Piaf's estate for the production of a full-length film called 'Edith.'

To replicate the voice of the legendary singer, artificial intelligence was trained on hundreds of original voice recordings. WMG was satisfied with the result of the neural network's work and promised viewers that this would 'further enhance the authenticity and emotional impact of the story.'

'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,' emphasized Piaf's estate managers Catherine Glavas and Christi Laume.

As the authors note, the animation solution used in the film will create a 'new perspective' on Piaf's story. Additionally, archival footage from stage performances, video recordings, interviews, and family archives will be used in the biopic.

'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,' noted the film's concept creator and director Julie Veille.

It is worth mentioning that earlier, AI also replicated the voice of Andy Warhol for the Netflix documentary 'The Andy Warhol Diaries.' However, in that case, the film's creators first read all the texts and only then, with the help of artificial intelligence, transformed the recordings into the artist's voice.

Earlier this month, The Gaze wrote about the huge success of the new single by the legendary British band The Beatles. The song, written by John Lennon in 1970, was completed with the help of AI that recreated the voice of the Liverpool four.