Soul Vocalist Jorja Smith's Record Company Takes Stand Regarding Popular 'Artificial Intelligence Copy' Track

The music company representing award-winning singer Jorja Smith has declared its desire to claim a share of earnings from a song it asserts was produced using an AI "clone" of the performer's unique voice.

The track, titled 'I Run' by British electronic duo Haven, achieved massive popularity on TikTok in October, in part due to its smooth soul singing by an uncredited woman vocalist.

Although its momentum and impending top 40 position in the UK and US, the song was later banned by leading streaming platforms after music bodies issued copyright requests, stating it violated copyright by imitating another musician.

Even though 'I Run' has since been re-released with different vocals, Smith's label, FAMM, maintains it is convinced the initial version was generated with AI trained on her body of work and is now seeking financial compensation.

A Larger Issue in Play

"This isn't just about Jorja. It's bigger than one artist or a single track," the label stated in a recent statement.

FAMM also stated its view that "each versions of the song violate Jorja's rights and unfairly benefit from the work of all the songwriters with whom she collaborates."

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

Implying that her supporters were possibly misled by Haven's original release, the label added: "We must not allow this to become the new normal."

Producers Acknowledge Using AI Technology

The duo responsible for the song have openly admitted using AI in its production process.

Producer Harrison Walker clarified that the original vocals were in fact his own but were heavily manipulated using AI music platform Suno, sometimes referred to as the "advanced tool for music".

Meanwhile, the second member, Waypoint, whose real name is Jacob Donaghue, stated on his accounts that AI was used to "apply our original vocal a female quality".

Donaghue and Walker assert that they composed and produced the music themselves and have even provided evidence of their original production sessions.

"This shouldn't be secret that I used AI-powered vocal editing to convert exclusively my voice for 'I Run'," Walker said.

"As a creator and producer, I enjoy using innovative technologies, techniques and staying on the forefront of what's happening," he added.

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

Legal Gray Areas and Industry Impact

While their original version of 'I Run' was suspended from official rankings, the replacement recording did break into the UK Top 40 last week.

FAMM has framed the incident as a significant precedent for the entertainment sector's changing interaction with AI.

The label stated it had "an obligation to voice concerns" and "stimulate wider discussion", because AI is advancing at an "rapid rate and substantially outpacing regulation".

"AI-generated material should be transparently labelled as such so that the audience may decide whether they consume it or not," the statement added.

Creators Become 'Collateral Damage'

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

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

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

"If we are able in proving that AI helped to write the lyrics and tune in 'I Run' and are awarded a share of the song, we would aim to allocate every one of Jorja's collaborators with a pro-rata share," it detailed.

The Continuing Growth of AI Music

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

• In June, the band Velvet Sundown gathered vast numbers of streams before revealing they used AI to aid develop their sound.
• Last month, an AI-generated "artist" called Breaking Rust led a US country digital song sales chart, showing that listeners are not necessarily opposed to hearing AI-made music.
• Suno was previously taken to court for alleged violations by the industry's major largest record labels, but those cases have now been settled.

Subsequently, Warner Music established a partnership with the firm, which will enable users to generate songs using the vocal likenesses, names, and likenesses of Warner acts who opt in to the service.

However, it is uncertain how a large number of well-known artists will consent to such uses of their identity.

Just last week, a group of renowned artists including Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, and Kate Bush released a vinyl album featuring silent songs or recordings of empty studios in protest to proposed changes to intellectual property regulations.

They argue these changes would make it simpler for AI companies to develop models using protected work without obtaining a license.