Rod Stewart has received backlash for airing an AI-generated video featuring Ozzy Osbourne and other deceased musicians while performing his song ‘Forever Young’.
Everyday, AI invents fresh new horrors. On August 1, attendants of Rod Stewart‘s performance were inflicted with an AI-generated video that featured Ozzy Osbourne in heaven with various other musicians.
Stewart has been dedicating his song ‘Forever Young’ to the late Black Sabbath frontman since the singer passed last month aged 76. During the performance, Stewart would project images of the late Osbourne. On August 1, the tribute took an upsetting twist.
The video featured Osbourne holding a selfie stick, smiling with “eternal stars” such as Janis Joplin, Prince, Tina Turner, Bob Marley, 2Pac, Aaliyah, Michael Jackson, Freddie Mercury, George Michael, Kurt Cobain, XXXTentacion, Whitney Houston, and Amy Winehouse.
As captured by someone in attendance, the AI video left many in the crowd beyond confused. Several have taken to social media to criticise the video, calling it “immensely disrespectful”.
According to Rolling Stone, at a show in Charlotte, N.C., a few days prior, Stewart ended his tribute to those musicians, saying, “Very sad. A lot of those people died ’cause of drugs… I’m still here, though!”
On the day of Osbourne’s death, Stewart paid tribute to the late singer on Instagram: “Bye, bye Ozzy. I’ll see you up there – later rather than sooner.” The singer is yet to make a statement regarding the controversial images.
Osbourne was laid to rest last week. The late singer’s home city of Birmingham came out in droves to celebrate the late Prince of Darkness as his funeral procession passed through Broad Street. Fans from all over the world came to decorate the iconic Black Sabbath Bench with tributes and memorabilia. Osbourne was later buried in the grounds of his UK mansion after a private ceremony later that week.
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