Ariana Grande has made her feelings about “AI covers” using her vocals very clear.
Since artificial intelligence technology has become more accessible, pop fans have been using it to create “new” versions of songs in the style of their favourite singers, with Ariana’s distinctive voice being a particular go-to.
“What are we doing?” she lamented during an interview with The Zach Sang Show when asked if she’d heard the AI-generated music in question. “What? Why? I hate it. It’s terrifying.”
The No Tears Left To Cry singer also turned her attention to “fans” of hers who get their hands on the demo for a song called Fantasize, which proved to be hugely popular on TikTok.
Ariana said: “Before I left for Wicked, the few studio sessions that I did [with music producer Max Martin], which are all over TikTok, thank you so much, I’ll see you in jail… literally… but the thing is, those were all written for a TV show, for something that was not for me.
“So Fantasize comes out – ‘comes out’, crazy, was stolen… thieves, pirates, crooks, illegal! I’ll pay you more to get it back! That wasn’t my song, that wasn’t for me, it was like a parody of a 90s girl group vibe, but they loved it. And I was like, A, all of you are absolutely hypocrites, and B, that’s crazy, it’s so corny!
“But it’s OK. I took the note, and I kind of gave them Ariana’s version of that on the album. I would say that exists. So some of those seedling ideas from that time actually made their way onto the album.”
Ariana’s seventh album Eternal Sunshine is out next month, and was preceded by the hit lead single Yes And?, in which she sends a playful message to her various critics.
Watch Ariana Grande’s interview with Zach Sang below: