Soul Vocalist the Artist's Music Company Takes a Stand Against Popular 'AI Copy' Track

The record label representing Brit Award-winning singer Jorja Smith has declared its desire to receive a portion of earnings from a song it claims was created using an AI "clone" of the singer's unique vocal style.

The song, titled 'I Run' by UK electronic duo Haven, achieved widespread traction on TikTok last October, in part due to its smooth R&B singing by an uncredited female singer.

Despite its success and impending top 40 entry in the UK and US, the song was subsequently banned by leading music services after industry organizations issued takedown notices, stating it breached intellectual property law by imitating another musician.

Although 'I Run' has since been re-released with completely new singing, Smith's label, FAMM, insists it is convinced the initial version was generated with AI programmed on her body of work and is now seeking appropriate redress.

A Larger Issue at Stake

"The situation isn't just about Jorja. This is larger than a single performer or one song," the label wrote in a recent statement.

FAMM further stated its view that "both versions of the track violate Jorja's legal rights and unjustly benefit from the creative output of all the writers with whom she collaborates."

Famous for songs like 'Be Honest' and 'Little Things', Smith was named British Female Solo Artist at the prestigious Brit Awards in 2019.

Implying that her fans were possibly deceived by Haven's first track, the label concluded: "We must not permit this to become the new normal."

Creators Acknowledge Employing AI Technology

The team responsible for the song have openly admitted using AI during its creation.

Songwriter Harrison Walker explained that the initial voice were actually his own but were heavily altered using music-generation platform Suno, often called the "advanced tool for music".

Meanwhile, the second member, Waypoint, whose real name is Jacob Donaghue, stated on social media that AI was used to "give our original vocal a feminine quality".

Donaghue and Walker assert that they composed and created the music themselves and have even shared evidence of their source computer files.

"It is no secret that I used AI-powered vocal editing to transform exclusively my voice for 'I Run'," Walker elaborated.

"Being a songwriter and maker, I enjoy using new tools, techniques and staying on the forefront of industry trends," he continued.

"To set the record straight, the artists behind HAVEN are actual and people, and all we aim to do is make great music for fellow humans."

Legal Gray Areas and Industry Impact

While their original version of 'I Run' was blocked from major charts, the replacement version did break into the UK Top 40 last week.

FAMM has framed the entire episode as a significant precedent for the entertainment sector's evolving relationship with AI.

The label argued it had "a duty to voice concerns" and "stimulate wider discussion", because AI is advancing at an "rapid rate and significantly exceeding regulation".

"Computer-created content should be clearly labelled as such so that the public may decide whether they consume it or not," the message continued.

Artists as 'Collateral Victims'

Smith endorsed her label's statement on her personal social media profile.

The post warned that artists and songwriters were becoming "unintended casualties in the race by governments and corporations towards AI supremacy".

It also noted that the label would distribute any awarded royalties with the writers behind Smith's catalogue.

"Should we are successful in establishing that AI helped to compose the words and melody in 'I Run' and are awarded a share of the song, we would aim to assign every one of Jorja's collaborators with a corresponding share," it explained.

The Continuing Rise of AI Music

The proliferation of AI-generated music has been a topic of both interest and consternation for the music industry.

• In the summer, the group Velvet Sundown gathered millions of streams before revealing they used AI to aid craft their musical style.
• Recently, an AI-generated "performer" known as Breaking Rust led a US country digital song sales chart, demonstrating that listeners are not necessarily opposed to consuming computer-generated music.
• Suno was previously taken to court for alleged violations by the industry's major largest record labels, though those legal actions have since been resolved.

Following this, Warner Music entered into a partnership with the company, which will allow users to create songs using the vocal likenesses, names, and likenesses of Warner artists who agree to the program.

Yet, it remains unclear how a large number of well-known musicians will agree to such applications of their work.

Recently, a collective of renowned musicians such as Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, and Kate Bush issued a vinyl album containing silent songs or recordings of empty studios in opposition to proposed changes to intellectual property regulations.

They contend these amendments would make it simpler for AI companies to develop models using copyrighted work without securing a license.