A child-like pop star created by artificial intelligence (AI) named Noonoouri has been signed by Warner Music.
The avatar’s first single features 38-year-old German DJ Alle Farben and went on the market Friday.
AI technology was used to create the singing voice of Noonoouri, which has been based on a real performer’s voice but altered so she has her own distinct sound, the Independent reports.
The songwriters and musicians on the track will receive royalties and publishing splits just like any traditional song, the outlet explained.
Noonoouri’s song, about “the interconnectedness of the world and the impact of our actions,” features an entirely AI-generated voice from two male music veterans, Leonardo Martinelli and Rafa Caivano, according to the song’s credits on YouTube.
The music video also features the avatar wearing Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand Skims, which was chosen by Noonoouri creator Joerg Zuber.
Commenting on her debut music video on Instagram, Zuber said: “After two years working so hard on this music project, we finally can share this incredible teamwork with world – thank you @warnermusic.de for believing in us #TheBeginning.”
Noonoouri was created in 2018 as an 18-year-old metaverse avatar, before going on to star in fashion campaigns for Dior, Balenciaga and Valentino.
The embrace of AI singing stars in place of human performers has not gone without comment.
Streaming music giant Spotify has taken action against AI music start-up Boomy, removing tens of thousands of songs from its platform amid growing concerns over streaming fraud and clutter. https://t.co/Bph5smyjkT
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) May 13, 2023
Universal Music Group, the music company whose roster of stars includes Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, and Taylor Swift, sent a letter to streaming platforms including Apple and Spotify, urging a blanket ban on AI-generated music back in March, as Breitbart News reported.
The platforms, said a UMG spokesperson, have “a moral and commercial responsibility to our artists to work to prevent the unauthorized use of their music and to stop platforms from ingesting content that violates the rights of artists and other creators.”