Ghostwriter returns with Travis Scott song written by artificial intelligence

Earlier this year, when an anonymous music creator known as Ghostwriter released an unauthorized track that used artificial intelligence voice effects to imitate pop superstars Drake and The Weeknd, the fallout was immediate and far-reaching.

The song “Heart on My Sleeve,” a mostly original song, was quickly removed from official streaming services even as experts acknowledged the use of artificial intelligence fell into a rapidly expanding legal gray area. But as major record labels sought to protect their intellectual property and scrambled to prepare for the disruption ahead, the track also went viral on social media, earning millions of listeners and inspiring a wave of similar new tracks.

All this time, Ghostwriter remained silent – at least publicly.

Behind the scenes, however, the shady band and its crew were trying to flirt with the very industry figures who were unnerving “Heart on My Sleeve.” Over the past months, those behind the project have met with record labels, technology leaders, music platforms and artists on how to best harness the power of artificial intelligence, including at a virtual roundtable this summer hosted by the Recording Academy, the organization behind the Grammy Awards.

“I knew as soon as I heard this record that this was going to be something that we were going to have to contend with, not only from an Academy standpoint, but also from a music community and industry standpoint,” Harvey Mason Jr., producer, said in a statement. interview with executive director of the Recording Academy. “When you start seeing AI involved in something that’s so creative and so cool and relevant and relevant, you immediately start thinking, ‘Okay, where is this going?’ How will this affect creativity? What are the business implications of monetization?”

Mason said he contacted Ghostwriter directly on social media after being impressed by “Heart on My Sleeve.” He added that Ghostwriter attended the meeting in character, including using a distorted voice.

On Tuesday, Ghostwriter returned with a new track called “Whiplash,” this time using artificial intelligence vocal filters to sound like rappers Travis Scott and 21 Savage and deliver a message to the industry: “Me and Writer are raising a toast,” the AI ​​said. version 21 rap Savage. “Tryin’ to ban my boy/But you can’t kill a ghost.”

The song, which was posted on social media platforms such as TikTok and X, formerly known as Twitter, instead of Spotify and other relevant streaming services, was accompanied by a statement calling for Scott and 21 Savage to collaborate on an official release. “The future of music is here. Now artists have the opportunity to let their voice work for them without lifting a finger,” Ghostwriter wrote. “If you decide to release it, I will clearly label it as AI and send you the royalties. Respect in any case.”

Representatives for Scott and 21 Savage did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A spokesperson for Ghostwriter, who wished to remain anonymous to avoid exposing those behind the project while acknowledging that much of its marketing power comes from its secrecy, confirmed that “Whiplash,” like “Heart on My Sleeve,” is an original composition. written and recorded by people. Before using AI components, Ghostwriter tried to match the content, flow, tone and phrasing of famous stars.

They added that the Ghostwriter team recently submitted “Heart on My Sleeve” to two Grammy nominations at next year’s ceremony: best rap song and song of the year, both of which go to the track’s songwriters.

“On the creative side, it’s absolutely noteworthy because it was written by a human being,” said the Recording Academy’s Mason.

He added that the Academy will also check whether the song is available for sale, since Grammy rules state that the track must have “general distribution,” which means “a wide release of the recording available nationwide in brick-and-mortar stores, third, online stores and/or streaming services.”

A spokesperson for Ghostwriter said they are aware of the commercial availability requirements.

In a statement, the Ghostwriter team said it hopes to raise awareness of the creative and business possibilities of AI voice filters, comparing the technology to the early days of hip-hop sampling or user-generated content on YouTube. He offered examples such as being able to sing karaoke in the voice of your favorite artist; home creators creating original fanfiction music; or artist estates using filters for posthumous original releases.

Led by Mason, the Recording Academy and its industry partners, the team said it hopes to work with stakeholders to create a platform that allows artists who choose to license their voice to control how it is used and ensure they get paid when it is.

“The ghostwriter really played a big role here in bringing attention and awareness,” Mason said. “We know AI will play an important role in our business. We can’t pretend to look away from it and try to ban it.”

He added: “I’m not afraid of AI, but I do believe there is work to be done to make sure everything is okay and the creative community is protected.”