Patrick Darling sings again at SXSW London

Patrick Darling stood on stage at Abbey Road Studios and premiered a new song in front of a packed audience.

For most artists, that might not sound unusual. But Patrick lives with ALS/MND and has lost both his speaking and singing voice as a result of the disease.

At SXSW London, he performed Polish Girl with the Irish Heart using an ElevenLabs singing voice built from his own voice, allowing him to sing live once again. The performance was part of a workshop showcasing how voice AI can help people continue creating, performing, and communicating.

Patrick also took part in a live interview using his voice clone.

When asked what it felt like to sing again, he said:

The first time I performed with the AI voice, I was surprised how physically connected I felt with it even though I was not actually singing. It's hard to explain. There's just this strange energy about it and you feel like a performer again.

The audience responded with dancing, singing, and applause throughout the performance.

Richard Cave, speech therapist and member of the ElevenLabs Impact team, said:

It is highly unusual for someone living with advanced ALS to perform and sing live, let alone record at Abbey Road Studios. As far as I know, this is the first time it has happened. With ElevenLabs technology now available free of charge to one million people living with voice loss, we can help make experiences like this far more common. People should be able to showcase their talent and creativity without being defined by their condition.

Patrick will soon record more music at Abbey Road Studios.

Abdi Omar is creating music in his own voice

Patrick was joined at SXSW London by Abdi Omar, an artist who is building what he hopes will become a groundbreaking career as a rapper living with cerebral palsy.

Using Eleven Music and a custom ElevenLabs voice clone that he designed himself, Abdi created and performed original music in an authentic North London voice that reflects his Tottenham roots.

For SXSW London, he debuted an original track called Limitless Minds.

The performance highlighted how voice technology can help more people participate in creative work on their own terms, using voices that feel authentic to them.

Expanding access through 1 Million Voices

The performances from Patrick and Abdi reflect a broader goal: ensuring that voice loss does not mean losing the ability to communicate, create, or participate in the activities that matter most.

Earlier this year, at SXSW Austin, we launched 1 Million Voices, a commitment to provide one million people living with permanent voice loss free access to voice restoration technology. The initiative represents a $1 billion in-kind investment and aims to make advanced voice technology available to the people who need it most.

Whether someone wants to have conversations with family, return to work, tell stories, or perform music, our goal is to help them continue using a voice that feels like their own.

Thank you

Thank you to Anthony Achille and the team at Abbey Road Studios for supporting both artists at SXSW London.