Grimes says track using her AI-emulated vocals is a “masterpiece”
The track is the first to be officially released using fake Grimes vocals made with AI.
Image: Scott Dudelson / Getty
Electronic dance-pop artist Grimes has remarked that a song using her AI-emulated vocal is a “masterpiece.”
Although the integration of AI in creative spaces has left many music industry figures and artists frustrated and concerned, Grimes has never been one to shy away from anything futuristic and experimental.
Last month, she announced that she was willing to split 50 per cent of royalties with artists using AI-created versions of her voice. She even created an entire AI platform, Elf.Tech, which was specifically designed to copy her vocals for anyone to use.
Now, Australia-born, LA-based DJ and producer Kito is the first artist to officially release a track using the AI Grimes voice – and it has even been approved by the artist herself. Asking fans to vote on the cover art for the track, Grimes took to Twitter to praise the song.
She wrote: “Experiment! The artist @kito wrote and produced an amazing song and used grimesAI voice. I couldn’t get the hook outta my head and wanted to try working on it too and then we became insanely indecisive abt everything and decided we shud [sic] just make all the versions and vote.”
experiment ! The artist @kito wrote and produced an amazing song and used grimesAI voice. I couldn't get the hook outta my head and wanted to try working on it too and then we became insanely indecisive abt everything and decided we shud just make all the versions and vote haha pic.twitter.com/mdyCRx2l0h
— 𝔊𝔯𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 (@Grimezsz) May 15, 2023
“She then referred to the song as a “masterpiece” and provided this short snippet of the track:
Lastly in case u forgot this is the masterpiece in question: pic.twitter.com/rIHvJGmvkk
— 𝔊𝔯𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 (@Grimezsz) May 15, 2023
The full song is out now, and speaking to NME, Kito explained how she used Elf.Tech: “Elf.Tech is such a simple concept: you upload a voice, and transform it to sound like Grimes. She’s trained her AI to know her voice. It definitely has a few limitations which they’re constantly improving.
“I think there’s a lot of confusion with how AI is being used in songs right now, and AI will continue to be messy for a while. It’s new territory for everyone,” she said.
She later added, “It’s not AI [making this song] either – it’s humans. It’s just a tool that humans are using to mimic another human, so maybe we need to think about how AI can expand our creativity instead of just using it to replicate stuff?”
Listen to the song below:
