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Robbie Williams and Beethoven AI: Superstar releases new version of "Angels" with Deutsche Telekom

  • In collaboration with Deutsche Telekom, Robbie Williams releases new version of Angels
  • Deutsche Telekom’s Beethoven AI supports new composition 
  • "Angels (Beethoven AI)" will be released on September 9 as part of the Greatest Hits deluxe album "XXV"
Robbie Williams featuring Beethoven.

Robbie Williams featuring Beethoven. © Deutsche Telekom

Century collaboration thanks to artificial intelligence: on September 9, "Angels (Beethoven AI)" by Robbie Williams will be released in collaboration with Deutsche Telekom (DT). Artificial Intelligence (AI) was used to add Beethoven-style compositions to the legendary global hit. Now the superstar is releasing the song to celebrate his 25-year solo career: the new "Angels" version is part of the greatest-hits deluxe album "XXV.".


The new “Angles” version is already available here.

"For me, it's an incredible honor to be associated with Beethoven - an artist of enormous cultural significance, value and excellence," says Robbie Williams.

For Tim Höttges, CEO of Deutsche Telekom, the new arrangement is an expression of the creative power that emerges when humans and machines work together: "How creative can an artificial intelligence be? Is the result of a machine "real" art? We have already explored these questions with the Beethoven X project and the completion of the 10thSymphony. Now we are immensely pleased that we were able to further explore the interplay between humans and algorithms with a world star like Robbie Williams. I like the song and I'm excited to see how it's received."

AI presents "Angels" in a new guise

For Robbie Williams, "Angels" is one of the most significant songs of his career. In 1997, the love song catapulted him from Take That member to solo world artist. 25 years later, the DT team, together with "Angels" co-writer and producer Guy Chambers and composer Jules Buckley, came up with a special experiment. The AI, which completed Beethoven's 10th Symphony, presents one of the most famous pop classics in new musical guise with elements in the style of the old master. Ludwig van Beethoven, as co-composer for the orchestral arrangement, in a sense "lends a hand" himself, so that artists separated by centuries make music together.

Guy Chambers first rearranged the song in its basic structure. Together with project leader Matthias Röder and composer Walter Werzowa, he suggested that the algorithm for the intro should interweave the Moonlight Sonata with "Angels". For the instrumental part, the AI was freer and drew from all of Beethoven's works. The result was a work of one piece.

JBK talks with Robbie Williams: MagentaTV original "Bestbesetzung“

Robbie Williams reveals more details about the creation of the new album and "Angels (Beethoven AI)" in the new episode of the MagentaTV talk show original "Bestbesetzung." In each episode, Johannes B. Kerner (JBK) talks to a prominent personalities from business, politics, sports, entertainment or society. The talk show with the British superstar can be seen exclusively on MagentaTV from September 22.

Invitation to the press conference on September 13  

In a press briefing at Digital X, Christian Loefert will explain how MagentaMusik has developed and what innovations are planned. The crisis in the music and event industry in the pandemic period will also play a role. The talk will take place immediately before the street gig with Muse on September 13 from 6 to 7 p.m. in the MagentaTV Lounge at Hallmackenreuther.

If you are interested in attending, please register here or by mail with the subject "Press Talk MagentaMusik Digital X."

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