It sounds like a collaboration between two of the biggest names in music. But the latest song to take Spotify and social media by storm has been generated by artificial intelligence, using machine learning software to clone the artists’ voices, in a development that has sparked alarm in the music industry.
Heart on My Sleeve, featuring what appear to be the voices of the platinum-selling artists, Drake and The Weeknd, has garnered more than 20 million views and listens across TikTok and Spotify.
It is not the first song to experiment with the technology. There exists a version of Adele’s Easy on Me purporting to be sung by Kanye West, while Rihanna’s voice has been cloned on a cover version of a song by Beyonce.
However, Heart on My Sleeve is the most successful so far and with sound closest to the real thing.
In the latest example of AI’s ability to mimic real life, Drake and The Weeknd seemingly exchange lyrics about the pop star and actress Selena Gomez, who the former previously dated. “Got these pearls on my neck, got these girls on my check, like Selena, baby I’ma cheat, oh maybe,” the song goes.
The track’s anonymous creator, calling themselves “Ghostwriter”, wrote under its YouTube upload: “This is just the beginning.”
Its release follows attempts by Universal Music Group, whose roster includes Drake and The Weeknd, to persuade streaming platforms to clamp down on AI-generated music. Nick Stewart, an industry veteran, said: “AI is clearly one of the most serious threats to hit the music business."
The Daily Telegraph, London
