Latest news with #ABBAVoyage
Euronews
a day ago
- Business
- Euronews
ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus discusses writing musical with AI and ABBA future
ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus was at the inaugural edition of London's SXSW festival yesterday and revealed he is writing a new musical using AI. He referred to artificial intelligence as 'such a great tool' and discussed his project during a talk at SXSW London. 'It is like having another songwriter in the room with a huge reference frame,' he said. 'It is really an extension of your mind. You have access to things that you didn't think of before.' Ulvaeus discussed the technology's limitations, saying that it is 'very bad at lyrics' and that he believed AI's most useful application was to help artists overcome writer's block. 'You can prompt a lyric you have written about something, and you're stuck maybe, and you want this song to be in a certain style,' he explained. 'You can ask it, how would you extend? Where would you go from here? It usually comes out with garbage, but sometimes there is something in it that gives you another idea.' Une publication partagée par CISAC (@cisacnews) Ulvaeus previously warned of the 'existential challenge' AI represents to the music industry. He is the president of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), a non-profit organisation that represents songwriters and composers around the world, collecting and paying royalties to its members whose music has been used in broadcasts and on streaming services. The organisation has produced reports on AI use in music. Most recently, one of their studies suggested that music creators could lose nearly a quarter of their income to AI by 2028. Regarding this report, Ulvaeus stated that governments have the power to step in and give a helping hand to creatives. 'For creators of all kinds, from songwriters to film directors, screenwriters to film composers, AI has the power to unlock new and exciting opportunities — but we have to accept that, if badly regulated, generative AI also has the power to cause great damage to human creators, to their careers and livelihoods.' 'Which of these two scenarios will be the outcome?' Ulvaeus continued. 'This will be determined in large part by the choices made by policy makers, in legislative reviews that are going on across the world right now. It's critical that we get these regulations right, protect creators' rights and help develop an AI environment that safeguards human creativity and culture.' During the SXSW discussion in London, Ulvaeus also noted that he was 'three quarters' of the way through writing the follow-up to the Swedish legends' hologram-based ABBA Voyage concert series. ABBA has just celebrated the third anniversary of their acclaimed virtual concert experience 'Voyage' by introducing new songs to the setlist. ABBA Voyage first kicked off in May 2022, and was due to wrap in November 2024, but has since been extended to January 2026 due to overwhelming demand. Elswehere, SXSW London has faced intense criticism after former UK prime ministers Tony Blair and David Cameron were among the unannounced speakers. Screenshots were leaked of the un-shared programme that included Blair talking on a panel called Government and AI, which also featured Technology Secretary and Labour Friends of Israel member Peter Kyle. Blair spoke at the conference's opening day, saying that Britain needs to fully embrace artificial intelligence in public services and that we 'could have AI tutors' along with 'AI nurses, AI doctors'. The panel appearance, which was not announced to the public or artists, prompted many artists to cancel their planned performances at the festival. Sam Akpro, Rat Party, Magnus Westwell, Saliah and LVRA were amongst the artists who pulled out, with the latter accusing the festival of 'artwashing', saying that 'whilst the music team were pulling together a diverse, 'cool' lineup, the conference team were booking speakers from multiple organisations deeply complicit in the current genocide of Palestinian people.' 'I implore artists to engage, rather than ignore, those things that affect us and strive to protect the most marginalised voices in the world,' LVRA added. 'I urge us as a community to think bigger, and better, than the scraps offered to us today. Morten Harket, frontman of celebrated Norwegian synth-pop band A-Ha, has revealed that he has Parkinson's disease. The news was shared by the band in a statement on their website which read: 'This isn't the sort of news anyone wants to deliver to the world, but here it is – Morten has Parkinson's disease.' The pop icon, aged 65, shared further details of the diagnosis in the post, and explained why he has sharing the news after previously keeping details on his health 'strictly private'. 'I've got no problem accepting the diagnosis. With time I've taken to heart my 94-year-old father's attitude to the way the organism gradually surrenders: 'I use whatever works',' he wrote. 'Part of me wanted to reveal it. Like I said, acknowledging the diagnosis wasn't a problem for me; it's my need for peace and quiet to work that has been stopping me. I'm trying the best I can to prevent my entire system from going into decline.' Harket said he underwent neurological procedures to have electrodes implanted inside his brain last year and that this had reduced the symptoms. He continued: 'It's a difficult balancing act between taking the medication and managing its side effects. There's so much to weigh up when you're emulating the masterful way the body handles every complex movement, or social matters and invitations, or day-to-day life in general.' Regarding whether Harket can still perform and sing, he wrote: 'I don't really know. I don't feel like singing, and for me that's a sign. I'm broadminded in terms of what I think works; I don't expect to be able to achieve full technical control. The question is whether I can express myself with my voice. As things stand now, that's out of the question. But I don't know whether I'll be able to manage it at some point in the future.' Parkinson's is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in the world, behind Alzheimer's. It causes deterioration in the brain's nervous system, leading to tremors and other symptoms that can become progressively worse over time. Common symptoms include involuntary shaking, slower-than-usual movement, and stiffness in the muscles. The disease can be treated with surgery and medication, but there is no cure. It is not known what exactly leads to people developing the condition. Other famous faces who have had Parkinson's diagnoses include Back To The Future actor Michael J. Fox, heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne and Scottish comedian Billy Connolly.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus Writing New Musical with AI: 'Such a Great Tool'
The post ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus Writing New Musical with AI: 'Such a Great Tool' appeared first on Consequence. ABBA member Björn Ulvaeus continues to embrace groundbreaking technology. According to Variety, the Swedish hitmaker revealed he is writing a new musical with the assistance of AI during a talk held at SXSW London on Wednesday, June 4th. 'Right now, I'm writing a musical, assisted by AI,' Ulvaeus said during the chat, adding that he was 'three-quarters' of the way through the creative process. The currently untitled project serves as the follow-up to the group's innovative hologram-based 'ABBA Voyage' concert series. Get ABBA Voyage Tickets Here Ulvaeus continued by elaborating on how AI can bolster the songwriting process: 'It is such a great tool. It is like having another songwriter in the room with a huge reference frame. It is really an extension of your mind. You have access to things that you didn't think of before.' However, Ulvaeus also acknowledged the current limitations of AI, stating that it is 'lousy at [writing a whole song]' and 'very bad at lyrics.' As such, he believes the technology primarily shines in assisting artists to break through writer's block. 'You can prompt a lyric you have written about something, and you're stuck maybe, and you want this song to be in a certain style,' he explained. 'You can ask it, how would you extend? Where would you go from here? It usually comes out with garbage, but sometimes there is something in it that gives you another idea.' This embrace of AI comes with caution, as Ulvaeus is president of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), which published a study in December 2024 suggesting that music creators could lose nearly a quarter of their income to AI by 2028. 'AI has the power to unlock new and exciting opportunities — but we have to accept that, if badly regulated, generative AI also has the power to cause great damage to human creators, to their careers and livelihoods,' he said at the time of the study's release. 'This will be determined in large part by the choices made by policy makers… It's critical that we get these regulations right, protect creators' rights and help develop an AI environment that safeguards human creativity and culture.' Elsewhere during the SXSW talk, Ulvaeus noted that he and fellow ABBA member Benny Andersson were 'always on the lookout' for 'the latest thing' to aid their creative process, from their first Mini Moog synthesizer to being early adopters of digital recording machines. The AI-assisted musical is the latest project from Ulvaeus' partnership with Pophouse Entertainment, the company behind 'ABBA Voyage.' The virtual residency kicked off at London's custom-built ABBA Arena in 2022 and is scheduled to run through January 2026. Get tickets here. Popular Posts King of the Hill Revival Gets Hulu Release Date, New Opening Sequence Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence Are Now In-Laws Dave Mustaine: Metallica Stole "Enter Sandman" Riff from Another Band Sabrina Carpenter Announces New Single "Manchild" Jonathan Joss, Voice of John Redcorn on King of the Hill, Shot and Killed by Neighbor T-Pain Announces 20th Anniversary US Tour Subscribe to Consequence's email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox.
Leader Live
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad reunite for third Abba Voyage anniversary
The Swedish musicians, who were married until divorcing a year before the influential pop group split in 1982, were at the arena in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, where fans were treated to new songs added to the Abba Voyage show on Tuesday. The group, also made up of Agnetha Faltskog and Bjorn Ulvaeus, who tied the knot in 1971 before splitting almost a decade later, said: 'When we first opened we never imagined that we'd still be in London three years on. We're very grateful that so many of you have joined us. 'Of course, the reason for us being able to sustain our concert for so long is because of our incredible audience.' The new tracks added to the concert's setlist included Abba hits The Name Of The Game, Super Trouper, Money, Money, Money and Take A Chance On Me. Famous faces including British singers Elvis Costello, Myleene Klass, and Mahalia along with U2 star Adam Clayton, author and Pointless star Richard Osman, comedian Rob Brydon and Poldark actress Eleanor Tomlinson were in the audience, Abba Voyage said. A post shared by ABBA Voyage (@abbavoyage) Since opening in May 2022, the series of shows that brings to life younger versions of the Abba members through 'Abba-tars', and a 10-piece live band has had more than three million visitors, and according to consultancy Sound Diplomacy, brought an estimated more than £1 billion to the UK economy. The concert series was created by the Swedish group, directed by Flashbacks Of A Fool director Baillie Walsh and produced by Svana Gisla and Andersson's son Ludvig Andersson. Abba were the first Swedish winners of the Eurovision Song Contest, performing hit song Waterloo in 1974 in Brighton. They have had a string of chart-toppers including Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!, Dancing Queen, Super Trouper, The Winner Takes It All and Mamma Mia! The group split in 1982 after 10 years but reunited and released their first new music in almost 40 years with their ninth studio album Voyage in 2021, which topped the UK album charts. Their songs also inspired the musical Mamma Mia!, which began in London in 1999, and became a hit worldwide sensation. It has resulted in two movies, 2008's Mamma Mia! and 2018's Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. ABBA Voyage is booking until January 2026.
Scottish Sun
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
TV legend goes completely unnoticed by fans as he gets the tube despite HUGE salary – would you have spotted him?
The star was taking in the Tube map when he was spotted by fans east tuber TV legend goes completely unnoticed by fans as he gets the tube despite HUGE salary – would you have spotted him? Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SOAP legend Adam Woodyatt went unnoticed by London commuters as he rode the Docklands Light Railway. The actor, who has played Ian Beale in EastEnders for 40 years, wore a cap and stood during a journey on Tuesday evening. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 5 A major soap star was spotted on London's DLR Credit: Supplied 5 It was Adam Woodyatt from EastEnders Credit: Getty 5 Adam has played Ian Beale on Eastenders for more than 40 years Credit: BBC He had been a VIP guest at the third anniversary performance of ABBA Voyage in East London and celebrated with fellow stars at an afterparty. But he stayed down to earth by taking public transport to go home at 11pm, deciding not to take a car like most celebrities. "I was shocked to see him on the DLR, then he swapped to the tube. Nobody seemed to notice him really - I was thinking 'he can afford an Uber!' but Adam seemed totally at home on public transport, like a normal person." Myleene Klass, Elvis Costello, U2's Adam Clayton, Rob Brydon and West End star Marisha Wallace were among other guests at the event. They joined ABBA icons Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson who flew to London to attend the event. Adam, 56, took a break from EastEnders in 2020 but returned in August 2023. He has reportedly made big money for his TV gigs, including roughly £500,000 for his 2021 appearance on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here. The actor also earns a reported £250,000 per year for his EastEnders gig. Adam, who officially divorced his wife Beverly in 2022 after 22 years of marriage put £245,763 into a new firm shortly after they first split in 2020. He had earned the cash through acting gigs and funnelled it into his company Caledfwlch — which is Welsh for King Arthur's sword Excalibur. He set it up ahead of his I'm A Celebrity stint in Gwrych Castle, North Wales. This week, Adam was spotted looking loved up with a mystery woman after hitting the gym in London. He shared a kiss with the red-haired woman after a sweaty workout before driving off together. Adam's character Ian Beale debuted in 1985 during the show's first-ever episode. He played a major role in the BBC soap's 40th anniversary episodes when his wife Cindy's Christmas Day attacker was revealed. 5 Adam was heading back on the DLR after going to a special anniversary showing of ABBA Voyage Credit: Getty 5 Adam returned to EastEnders in 2023 after a few years break from the soap Credit: BBC
The Irish Sun
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
TV legend goes completely unnoticed by fans as he gets the tube despite HUGE salary – would you have spotted him?
SOAP legend Adam Woodyatt went unnoticed by London commuters as he rode the Docklands Light Railway. The actor, who has played Ian Beale in EastEnders for 40 years, wore a cap and stood during a journey on Tuesday evening. 5 A major soap star was spotted on London's DLR Credit: Supplied 5 It was Adam Woodyatt from EastEnders Credit: Getty 5 Adam has played Ian Beale on Eastenders for more than 40 years Credit: BBC He had been a VIP guest at the third anniversary performance of ABBA Voyage in East London and celebrated with fellow stars at an afterparty. But he stayed down to earth by taking public transport to go home at 11pm, deciding not to take a car like most celebrities. "I was shocked to see him on the DLR, then he swapped to the tube. Nobody seemed to notice him really - I was thinking 'he can afford an Uber!' but Adam seemed totally at home on public transport, like a normal person." Myleene Klass, Elvis Costello, U2's Adam Clayton, Rob Brydon and West End star Marisha Wallace were among other guests at the event. eastenders They joined ABBA icons Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson who flew to London to attend the event. Adam, 56, took a break from EastEnders in 2020 but returned in August 2023. He has reportedly made big money for his TV gigs, including roughly £500,000 for his 2021 appearance on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here. The actor also earns a reported £250,000 per year for his EastEnders gig. Most read in TV Adam, who officially divorced his wife Beverly in 2022 after 22 years of marriage put £245,763 into a new firm shortly after they first split in 2020. He had earned the cash through acting gigs and funnelled it into his company Caledfwlch — which is Welsh for King Arthur's sword Excalibur. He set it up ahead of his This week, Adam was spotted looking loved up with a mystery woman after hitting the gym in London. He shared a kiss with the red-haired woman after a sweaty workout before driving off together. He played a major role in the BBC soap's 40th anniversary episodes when his wife Cindy's Christmas Day attacker was revealed. 5 Adam was heading back on the DLR after going to a special anniversary showing of ABBA Voyage Credit: Getty 5 Adam returned to EastEnders in 2023 after a few years break from the soap Credit: BBC
