AI audio company ElevenLabs has acquired the right to use the voices of Judy’s Garland, James Dean, Burt ReynoldsAND Lorenzo OlivierTheir voices will be used to read books, articles, PDFs and other text materials to mobile users of the new Reader app.
ElevenLabs has entered into licensing agreements with the properties of these legendary Hollywood stars and envisions users “touching Garland’s legendary pipes to read L. Frank Baum’s original novel The Wonderful Wizard of Ozor Laurence Olivier to tell a Sherlock Holmes story.”
The Reader app is designed to adapt “articles, PDFs, ePubs, newsletters, eBooks, or any other text on your phone” into “emotionally rich, contextualized voiceovers” you can listen to on the go.
It explains that “The audio generated with these voices is designed to be enjoyed via individual streaming, rather than to create content intended to be shared.”
Liza Minnelli, Garland’s daughter and representative of her mother’s estate, approved the settlement in a statement, saying, “It is thrilling to see our mother’s voice available to the countless millions of people who love her.
“With the spectacular new technology offered by ElevenLabs, our family believes this will bring new fans to Mama and be exciting for those who already appreciate the unparalleled legacy that Mama has given and continues to give to the world.”
Tina Xavie, CMG Worldwide Chief Marketing Officer, added: “As someone who has had the privilege of representing iconic characters from history for decades, I am incredibly excited about our partnership with ElevenLabs.
“We appreciate their thoughtful approach to working with talent in the right way. We are excited about the new opportunities they are bringing to our clients and look forward to seeing more to come.”
Dustin Blank, Head of Partnerships at ElevenLabs, said: “Judy Garland, James Dean, Burt Reynolds and Sir Laurence Olivier are some of the most celebrated actors in history. We deeply respect their legacies and are honored to have their voices as part of our platform.
“Adding them to our growing roster of narrators marks an important step forward in our mission to make content accessible in any language and voice.”
This is an app I will most likely never use, but for those who do, you can now listen to the voices of these iconic actors.
Source: Variety
by Joey Fear
Source: Geek Tyrant
Lloyd Grunewald is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. He is a talented writer who focuses on bringing the latest entertainment-related news to his readers. With a deep understanding of the entertainment industry and a passion for writing, Lloyd delivers engaging articles that keep his readers informed and entertained.
