Veteran star Liza Minnelli collaborates with AI for new track in bold move, faces backlash

DUBAI: After more than a decade away from releasing new material, Broadway and music legend Liza Minnelli has made a bold and unexpected comeback at age 79 with the release of her newest track in 13 years.

The upbeat EDM single, titled “Kids Wait Till You Hear This,” marks Minnelli’s re-entry into music with a futuristic twist: it was created in collaboration with AI audio platform ElevenLabs, blending her voice with cutting-edge technology.

In its website, ElevenLabs describes itself as a “curated group of pioneering artists using new technology to expand their sound.” For Minnelli, the technology was strictly an arrangement tool, not a replacement for her vocals.

The EGOT winner took to social media to address criticism head-on, writing:

“We used AI arrangements. Not AI vocals. A few trolls didn’t bother to read the truth, check with me or my partners. The shoutouts are all mine! I’m interested in 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.”

The track also doubles as a teaser for her forthcoming memoir of the same name.

Yet Minnelli’s comeback hasn’t been met with universal applause. Online reactions have been sharply mixed, with many fans praising her willingness to embrace innovation, while others expressed concern.

On X, one fan wrote, “Could someone please rescue Liza Minnelli from whoever is controlling her? The idea of this legend using AI arrangements is abhorrent.” Such responses reflect a larger unease about AI’s role in music, with critics worried it could undermine creativity, authenticity, and the human essence of art.

Despite the backlash, Minnelli remains undeterred, urging listeners to actually hear the track before passing judgment. Amidst all this it gets us thinking, while AI tools are reshaping how music can be created, it also raises questions about authenticity, creativity, and the future of artistic expression. 

Article contributed by Saarangi Aji