Late Tamil singer SPB's son issues legal notice for maestro's voice being recreated using AI

S.P. Kalyan Charan, the son of the late legendary singer S. P. Balasubrahmanyam (SPB), has issued a legal notice to the producers of the Telugu film ‘Keeda Cola’ and its music director Vivek Sagar for utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to recreate his father’s voice. SPB passed away in 2020 due to Covid-19 related complications. The family is disheartened by the unauthorized use of SPB’s voice for commercial exploitation.

In a press statement, S. P. Charan expressed the family’s love for the use of technology to give his father’s voice a posthumous life, but emphasized that it was disheartening to see the technology being utilized without their knowledge, consent, or authorization for commercial purposes. He also mentioned that the music director admitted to using AI to recreate SPB’s voice in an interview.

SPB’s son revealed that a legal notice was issued on January 18, 2024, seeking an apology, damages, and a share in royalties for the unethical and unlawful use of the late singer’s voice. The family had called for a meeting to arrive at an amicable resolution, but were disappointed by the response from the concerned parties, which dismissed the use of AI and suggested a media trial instead of a legal approach.

Charan emphasized that the family has no intention to handle the matter through a media trial and is committed to pursuing legal action. He also stressed the tremendous recall value of his father’s voice and expressed solidarity with other legendary singers, musicians, and composers in protecting their skills from unauthorized misuse.

The issue has sparked a debate about the ethical use of technology and the rights of deceased artists in the music industry. The family’s stand against the unauthorized use of SPB’s voice highlights the importance of respecting the legacy and work of late musicians. The outcome of this legal battle will likely set a precedent for the use of AI in recreating the voices of deceased artists in the future.