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The voice of Celia Cruz is heard again, this time thanks to artificial intelligence. Her executor, Omer Pardillo, announced this Friday that the legendary Cuban singer becomes the first Latin artist whose voice has been recreated with AI, a milestone that, as he emphasized, will be surrounded by strict controls to protect the legacy of the "Queen of Salsa," who passed away in 2003.
The work was carried out by ElevenLabs, a company specialized in voice synthesis using artificial intelligence that had previously recreated the voices of figures such as poet Maya Angelou and artist Salvador Dalí.
Pardillo explained that the voice has already been created and registered, but its use will not be free or widespread. "It's not that everyone is going to have access and take Celia's voice to do whatever they want, no. This is a very limited process," he stated.
The stated goal is to bring the legacy of the Havana singer closer to new generations without relinquishing control over her image or her voice.
"The aim is for Celia's voice and legacy to remain relevant and accessible for future generations," stated the executor.
Among the anticipated uses are the narration of books, educational content, and responses based on statements that Cruz made during her lifetime. Pardillo was clear about the boundaries: "I believe it’s more about celebrating our culture… and allowing her to respond with the things she said, because we’re not going to stray too far from what she said."
The executor categorically dismissed any political use. "I would never use it for anything political, no campaign or anything," he stated. The priority will be Spanish, although he considers "a few small things in English" as long as they maintain the authenticity of the interpreter.
One of the fears Pardillo admitted to having was precisely the loss of control over the voice. "The biggest fear was that everyone would have access, and that tomorrow I would find Celia's voice speaking with some character she would have never wanted. That doesn't happen," he asserted, adding that ElevenLabs has control mechanisms in place and that any unauthorized use will be contested legally. "There is absolute control over the management," he concluded.
This announcement comes after years of tension regarding the unauthorized use of Cruz's voice. In July 2023, Celia Cruz's estate publicly declared its opposition to any use of her image or voice with artificial intelligence without express permission, invoking Title 17 of the United States Code.
Despite this, that same year Yotuel Luengo recreated her voice in a new version of "Patria y Vida" alongside Arturo Sandoval, and in February 2024 Gente de Zona used it at the Lo Nuestro Awards with the song "Celia," which garnered five million views on YouTube. None of these uses had the official authorization from the estate.
From ElevenLabs, Bridget Ferris, head of talent partnerships, assessed the reach of the project: “There is no voice like Celia Cruz’s; her energy, her joy, and her cultural impact are truly unique,” she expressed, highlighting that the collaboration aims to bring her voice “into this new chapter of technology in an intentional way that honors her extraordinary legacy.”
Celia Cruz, born in Havana in 1925, recorded over 50 albums and received more than 100 awards throughout her career. In 2024, she became the first Afro-Latina woman to appear on a United States coin, as part of the "American Women Quarters" series.
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