The Weeknd, Drake

Drake & The Weeknd AI Generated Song Is Submitted for Grammy Consideration

The CEO of the Recording Academy said it's eligible because it was written by a human

Archivado en: Artificial Intelligence  •   Drake  •   The Weeknd  •  

Drake and The Weeknd unexpectedly found themselves involved in a collab song submitted to the Grammys without their knowledge, consent, or even having met each other. How did this happen? It turns out it was due to a AI generated song by the anonymous artist Ghostwriter.

Earlier this year, the artist went viral with the song «Heart on My Sleeve,» which mimics the voices of Drake and The Weeknd with A.I. In a recent interview with The New York Times, representatives of the previously undisclosed act revealed that they have officially submitted their song for consideration in two categories at next year’s Grammy Awards: Best Rap Song and Song of the Year. Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy stated, “As far as the creative side, it’s absolutely eligible because it was written by a human.”

A.I. In the Grammys

Let’s not forget that the Recording Academy recently unveiled a series of rule changes for the Grammy Awards to align more closely with the ever-evolving music industry.

In light of the growing use of AI in the world of art, these awards were not the exception and new regulations have been established regarding the nomination of content generated using artificial intelligence. According to the new guidelines, artists can use AI in their songs and submit them for consideration as long as there is human involvement.

     Only human creators are eligible to be submitted for, consideration for, nominated for, or win a GRAMMY Award.

Grammys
David Becker/Getty Images.

Heart on My Sleeve

In April, «Heart on My Sleeve» was removed from streaming platforms after accumulating over 600,000 streams on Spotify and 275,000 views on YouTube. In response to the public outcry, Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, TIDAL, and Deezer all removed the song from their platforms.

Harvey Mason informed that he reached out to Ghostwriter through a direct message on social media in the aftermath of the song’s sudden popularity. He then arranged a virtual roundtable discussion with the Recording Academy to gain deeper insights into the capabilities of A.I. During the meeting, Ghostwriter participated with a distorted voice, adding another layer of anonymity to their identity.

     I knew right away as soon as I heard that record that it was going to be something that we had to grapple with from an Academy standpoint, but also from a music community and industry standpoint,” said Mason. “When you start seeing A.I. involved in something so creative and so cool, relevant and of-the-moment, it immediately starts you thinking, ‘OK, where is this going? How is this going to affect creativity? What’s the business implication for monetization?’”

It is indeed a complex matter that will need stronger regulations, as a lot of A.I. have been circulating all over the internet.

Ghostwriter

The anonymous made a comeback with a fresh A.I.-generated song named «Whiplash,» featuring vocals that bear a striking resemblance to Travis Scott and 21 Savage. The song, again, mimics both artists and playfully addresses Ghostwriter’s critics with lines such as: “Me and Writer raise a toast/ Trying to shadowban my boy but you can’t kill a ghost.”

What do you think about this A.I. generated songs?