IT has become one of the hottest conversations in the music industry of late, with artists torn over the rising tide of artificial intelligence.
Speaking to me earlier this year, Sir Rod Stewart praised the advances while The Beatles were last year able to use technology to bring to life their never-before-heard song Now And Then.
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But while AI can arguably help musicians it has a darker edge — with voice cloning and deep fakes threatening to decimate their craft.
Now more than 200 huge artists, including Katy Perry, Sam Smith, Nicki Minaj and Jon Bon Jovi have joined together to try to force change.
Along with the Artist Rights Alliance, which fights for the rights of musicians, performers and songwriters in the digital world, the musicians have written a damning open letter to AI companies imploring them to respect music and human artistry.
Their two sticking points are the “use of copyright-protected material without authorization for the training of AI” and “using AI-generated noise to dilute artist royalty pools”.
Sabotage creativity
Ara chief Jen Jacobsen said: “Working musicians are already struggling to make ends meet in the streaming world and now they have the added burden of trying to compete with a deluge of AI-generated noise.
“The unethical use of generative AI to replace human artists will devalue the entire music ecosystem —for artists and fans alike.”
In the letter, the musicians, which also includes the estates of Bob Marley and Frank Sinatra, admitted they saw the positives in technological advances but said they wanted to try to get ahead of the curve before it robbed them of their livelihoods.
They wrote: “Make no mistake: we believe that, when used responsibly, AI has enormous potential to advance human creativity and in a manner that enables the development and growth of new and exciting experiences for music fans everywhere.
“Unfortunately, some platforms and developers are employing AI to sabotage creativity and undermine artists, songwriters, musicians and rightholders.”
They continued: “We must protect against the predatory use of AI to steal professional artists’ voices and likenesses, violate creators’ rights, and destroy the music ecosystem.
“We call on all digital music platforms and music- based services to pledge that they will not develop or deploy AI music-generation technology, content, or tools that undermine or replace the human artistry of songwriters and artists or deny us fair compensation for our work.”
The move comes just over a week after the British Phonographic Industry sent a legal letter to Voicify, a start-up which produces songs imitating the voices of artists including Rihanna and Amy Winehouse.
The BPI accused it of infringing copyright by allegedly using copyrighted works to create the tech which can mimic voices.
This open letter will throw serious weight behind the cause.
It’s not an easy fight, due to the limitless scope of AI.
But if enough stars continue to speak out, they have a decent chance of getting people to listen.
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Paul’s got legs for days
PAUL Mescal will play the lead in Gladiator 2 when it comes out in November and he certainly has the legs for it.
He was spotted out and about in New York in these tiny shorts yesterday after living it up at the weekend.
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Last month he was romantically linked to The Bear actress Ayo Edebiri but now he has been spotted with another female screen star.
According to users on TikTok, he was seen partying at a nightclub with Victoria Pedretti, who is best known for starring in the Netflix series You.
I’d give my best shot at getting close to him if I saw him out, too.
CAUGHT LIVE
CHRIS SHIFLETT @ The Electric Ballroom, Camden
★★★★☆
FLYING solo, the double denim-wearing Foo Fighters guitarist landed, with his trio, at this historic North London venue to play a fiery set of Americana Rock songs from his back catalogue.
He blew through tracks from his three solo albums, highlights of which were Dead & Gone, Black Top White Lines, Room 102 and I’m Still Drunk.
Chris seemed more than at home without his Foo bandmates and is now a must watch.
Paul Davies
CARDI ON SPLIT
WAP rapper Cardi B has made a rare show of vulnerability, opening up on the end of her marriage to Offset.
She split from the former Migos rapper in December and Cardi told how it has led to her focusing on her work, which I’m hoping will mean a follow-up to her 2018 debut album Invasion Of Privacy is on the way.
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On Instagram Live today, Cardi explained: “I’ve been adapting to my new personal life and it’s just been a little bit difficult.
“Especially because I have a lot of work to do and everything, but so far so good. I’m not in a bad space but I’m in a very different space.”
She continued: “From 19 to 22, I was very alone. I just distanced myself from everybody and focused on my work.
“And this time around in life I feel like I’m in that space again.
“I’ve completely distanced myself from people. I just can’t wait to put out my music and do different stuff.”
And we can’t wait to hear it.
PHARRELL IN A ROW FOR FRAUD
PHARRELL Williams is locked in a bitter legal battle with his childhood pal and business partner after three decades of working together.
The singer rose to fame alongside his friend Chad Hugo as the production duo The Neptunes, making songs for Britney Spears, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake, Ludacris, Gwen Stefani and more.
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But Pharrell has now been accused of seeking sole control over The Neptunes’ name trademarks, despite a deal to split everything.
Chad’s attorney said: “Throughout their over-30-year history, [Hugo] and Williams agreed to, and in fact, have divided all assets.
“By ignoring and excluding [Hugo] from the any and all applications filed by applicant for the mark ‘The Neptunes,’ applicant has committed fraud in securing the trademarks.”
But a rep for the Happy hitmaker said: “Pharrell is surprised by this.
“We have reached out on multiple occasions to share in the ownership and administration of the trademark and will continue to make that offer.”
Doesn’t sound like we have heard the last of this.
AMANDA Holden will host of the Variety Club Showbusiness Awards at The Londoner in Leicester Square on April 28.
Dame Joan Collins will be honoured at the ceremony, which is thrown by children’s charity Variety, now in its 75th year.
Amanda said: “It’s not just an event, it’s a celebration of compassion and generosity towards those who need it most.”
DOJA RAPS EX LOVER
WATCH out men, Doja Cat isn’t holding back on new single Masc.
The track, out Friday, sees her take aim at a lover for messing her about.
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Doja rages: “We are way too grown for this s***.
“Don’t make me put you on the couch again. Don’t make me kick you out the house again.”
The track is set to appear on Scarlet 2: Claude Frollo – a special deluxe edition of her 2023 album Scarlet, which peaked at No5.
I imagine Masc will have a suitably savage music video in the coming weeks, too.
Bey’s a country hotshot
BEYONCE is making country music sexy again with skin-tight outfits like this.
She wore the leather gear to the iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles on Monday night, where she was presented with the Innovator Award by Stevie Wonder, who called her a “true visionary”.
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Speaking to the audience, which was made up of stars including Katy Perry, Justin Timberlake, SZA and Tate McRae, the superstar said: “Being an innovator often means being criticised, which often will test your mental strength.”
But there certainly isn’t anything to criticise on her new album Cowboy Carter, which has gone down a storm since it came out on Friday.
It was the most streamed album in a single day in 2024 so far on Spotify and the record is currently outselling the rest of the Top Five combined in the UK.
In fact, it looks like she will do the chart double, with Texas Hold ‘Em on course to rebound to No1, while her cover of Jolene is at No5 and her Miley Cyrus duet II Most Wanted is at No8, according to mid-week data.
There’s no reining in this cowgirl.
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LULU WON’T SHOUT OUT
ONE of her biggest hits is Shout, but you won’t catch singer Lulu doing that – or making any noise at all – before midday.
She bans herself from speaking until noon to protect her voice.
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The veteran, who kicks off her farewell tour in her native Scotland on Saturday, said: “I don’t speak before noon. I can understand why you think I’m lying but no, I’m very disciplined.
“I try not to come out of my room until 12. It makes it easier.
“I take care of my instrument. It allows me to sing.”
She is clearly doing something right as she has sung with a host of big names over the years, from Sir Paul McCartney to Take That.
But she narrowly missed out on recording an album with David Bowie after he produced and sang backing vocals on her 1974 track The Man Who Sold The World.
Lulu said: “He made that single and we were going to do much more together.
“We had planned to do an album and I went to New York and did a couple of recordings.
“But David was on a certain trajectory in his life and he was over there and I was here doing my TV series and it didn’t quite work out.
“Not that we didn’t want it to.”
Reflecting on her career, which has spanned seven decades, she told the BBC: “To be honest with you, if when I was 15 years old someone would have suggested I’d be doing a farewell tour when I’m 75, I’d have said, ‘You are having a laugh’.
“I get down on my knees every morning and thank God for just being alive and for what I’ve got.”