Soul Singer Jorja Smith's Record Label Takes Firm Position Against Popular 'Artificial Intelligence Copy' Song

The record label representing award-winning singer Jorja Smith has stated its desire to receive a portion of earnings from a track it claims was created using an AI "replica" of the performer's distinctive vocal style.

The song, titled 'I Run' by British electronic duo Haven, achieved massive traction on social media last October, in part due to its smooth R&B singing by an unnamed female singer.

Despite its success and potential chart entry in the UK and US, the song was subsequently removed by leading music services after industry bodies sent copyright notices, stating it violated copyright by impersonating another musician.

Even though 'I Run' has since been reissued with different singing, Smith's label, FAMM, insists it believes the original version was made with AI programmed on her body of work and is now seeking appropriate redress.

A Broader Principle at Stake

"This isn't just about Jorja. It's larger than one artist or one song," the label wrote in a recent statement.

FAMM further expressed its view that "both versions of the track infringe on the artist's legal rights and unjustly take advantage of the work of all the writers with whom she works."

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

Implying that her fans were potentially misled by Haven's original track, the label added: "We must not allow this to be the standard practice."

Creators Acknowledge Employing AI Technology

The team behind the track have openly confirmed using AI in its production process.

Songwriter Harrison Walker explained that the initial voice were in fact his own but were heavily altered using music-generation software Suno, often referred to as the "ChatGPT for music".

In addition, the second producer, Waypoint, identified as Jacob Donaghue, stated on social media that AI was used to "apply our original vocal a female quality".

Donaghue and Walker maintain that they wrote and produced the music themselves and have even provided evidence of their source computer files.

"This is no secret that I used AI-powered vocal editing to convert exclusively my voice for 'I Run'," Walker said.

"Being a songwriter and producer, I like experimenting with innovative technologies, methods and staying on the forefront of what's happening," he added.

"In order to set the record straight, the artists behind HAVEN are real and human, and all we want to do is make enjoyable music for other humans."

Regulatory Gray Areas and Broader Implications

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

FAMM has positioned the entire episode as a critical test case for the music industry's changing relationship with artificial intelligence.

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

"Computer-created content should be transparently labelled as such so that the public may choose whether they listen to it or not," the message added.

Creators Become 'Collateral Damage'

Smith endorsed her label's statement on her own Instagram profile.

The text warned that musicians and creators were turning into "collateral damage in the competition by governments and tech firms towards AI supremacy".

It also noted that the label would share any awarded royalties with the collaborators behind Smith's music.

"If we are successful in establishing that AI assisted to compose the words and tune in 'I Run' and are awarded a share of the song, we would seek to assign every one of Jorja's co-writers with a corresponding share," it detailed.

The Continuing Rise of AI Music

The proliferation of algorithmically created music has been a topic of both interest and anxiety for the entertainment world.

• In June, the band Velvet Sundown gathered millions of streams before disclosing they used AI to aid develop their sound.
• Recently, an AI-generated "performer" called Breaking Rust topped a US country digital song sales chart, demonstrating that listeners are not always averse to hearing AI-made music.
• Suno was last year sued for alleged violations by the world's three largest record labels, though those cases have now been settled.

Following this, Warner Music established a partnership with the firm, which will allow users to generate songs using the vocal likenesses, names, and images of Warner artists who agree to the service.

However, it is unclear how many well-known artists will consent to such applications of their work.

Recently, a group of prominent musicians including Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, and Kate Bush released a vinyl album containing silent songs or recordings of empty studios in protest to proposed changes to intellectual property regulations.

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