Country singer Randy Travis has released his first new song since a stroke in 2013 left him unable to speak or sing properly. But he didn't sing it. Instead, the vocals were created using his AI software and a substitute singer.
It's called “Where That Came From,” and it's exactly the kind of folky, sentimental song I fell in love with as a kid, when Travis was at the height of his fame. Producers created the song by training an unnamed AI model, starting with 42 recordings of him with only his vocals isolated. Then, under the supervision of Travis and his longtime producer Kyle Laning, fellow country singer James Dupre created the vocals that were translated into Travis' vocals by AI.
In addition to YouTube, the song can also be found on other streaming platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify.
The result of Warner's experiment was a gentle piece that captured Travis' relaxed style, rarely veering significantly from his baritone fundamentals. This song sounds like one of those singles that will continue to stay on the charts, even though I was nervous when I plucked up the courage to ask a girl to dance at my middle school social gathering.I wouldn't say that wonderful It's a Randy Travis song, but I don't think it's the worst, and I even like it.
Dustin Ballard, who runs various incarnations of the There I Ruined It social media account, creates AI voice parodies in much the same way as Travis' team, creating goofy mashups like AI Elvis Presley singing “Baby Got Back.” has been created. Or a synthetic Johnny Cash singing “Barbie Girl.”
It would be easy to sound the alarm over this song, or any ballad, and proclaim the death of human-made music as we know it. But I think this is quite the opposite and enhances the capabilities that tools like AI voice cloning can provide to the right users. Whether you like the song or not, you have to admit that you can't get something like this from a casual invitation.
Chris Lacey, co-president of Warner Music Nashville, said: CBS Sunday Morning AI voice cloning sites produce approximations of artists like Travis, but they “don't sound like the real thing because they're not real.” She called the label's use of her AI to replicate Travis' voice “AI for Good.”
At this point, there's not really much that Warner can do about AI clones, which he believes don't fit into the category of “AI for good.” But Tennessee's recently passed ELVIS law, effective July 1, gives labels the ability to take legal action against anyone using software that reproduces an artist's voice without permission.
Travis' song is a great example of an edge case where AI is being used to make music that actually feels legitimate. But on the other hand, it could open up new avenues for Warners, which owns the rights to a vast catalog of music by famous deceased artists ripe for a digital resurgence and with potential profits if it wants to go there. There is also gender. The story is heartwarming, but Warner Music he wonders what Nashville, and the record industry as a whole, will learn from this song.
