AI-generated singer, Xania Monet has become the first known AI artist to gain enough radio play to appear on the Billboard radio chart.
Landing in the 30th spot with the R&B track How was I Supposed to Know, the singer has just signed a multimillion dollar recording deal with Hallwood Media, another first for an AI-generated musician.
The product of human poet, Telisha Jones, Monet’s manager, Romel Murphy, backed the project: “Her song is resonating with the masses. That was our simple formula. If you had a, let’s say, traditional, artist and were a label and marketing executive, radio would be a piece of the promotion strategy. We’re interested in bringing the music to as many people as possible. Our goal is to continue to grow, continue to connect and hopefully get to number one.”
Monet — described in her Apple Music artist profile as “a contemporary R&B vocalist” — is the creative project of Jones', who reportedly uses generative software, Suno, to transform her poetry into music.
The rise of AI in music is a bone of contention for the industry, but despite this audiences are becoming more intrigued by the concept. Timbaland recently released the first single from his AI-generated star, Tata Takumi and AI indie band Velvet Sundown are amassing thousands of listeners each month.
Monet’s 150,000+ Instagram followers prove that there’s an audience looking to engage with AI art, despite industry backlash. Billboard recently reported that “in just the past few months, at least six AI or AI-assisted artists have debuted on various Billboard rankings.”
“That figure could be higher, as it’s become increasingly difficult to tell who or what is powered by AI, and to what extent,” said the publication. “Many of these charting projects, whose music spans every genre from gospel to rock to country, also arrive with anonymous or mysterious origins.”
Monet released debut album Unfolded in August this year, which had 24 songs. A seven-track EP, Pieces Left Behind, followed in September. You can listen to Monet’s music here.
Image credit: Spotify