AR Rahman composes 'Lal Salaam' track using late singers Bamba Bakya and Shahul Hameed's voices with the help of AI: 'We took permission from their families'

Music composer A.R. Rahman has released his latest track, ‘Thimiri Yezhuda,’ from the upcoming Rajinikanth starrer ‘Lal Salaam.’ What makes this composition unique is the inclusion of the voices of two late singing legends, Bamba Bakya and Shahul Hameed, using artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

On Monday, the makers took to Twitter to share insights about the track. Their post read, "The mesmerizing voices of Bamba Bakya & Shahul Hameed in #ThimiriYezhuda from #LalSalaam made possible by @timelessvoicesx AI voice models. �� This marks the first time in the industry that a late legend’s voice has been brought back to life."


Soon, A.R. Rahman himself re-shared the tweet and talked about the ethical aspect of the project. He wrote, "We took permission from their families and sent deserving remuneration for using their voice algorithms... technology is not a threat and a nuisance if we use it right… #respect #nostalgia ��."


Bamba Bakya, a talented Tamil playback singer and musician, passed away in 2022. Shahul Hameed, known for his memorable rendition of ‘Urvasi Urvasi’ among other Rahman tracks, left a musical legacy when he passed away in 1997.

Directed by Aishwarya, ‘Lal Salaam’ features Vishnu Vishal and Vikranth in lead roles, with Rajinikanth making a special appearance in an extended cameo. The film is set to hit the screens on February 9, 2024.
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