Recently, it was revealed that an AI-generated artist named Xania Monet inked a multimillion-dollar record deal with Hallwood Media, following a competitive bidding war. However, instead of sparking excitement, this news has ignited outrage among some of R&B’s prominent figures, including Kehlani, SZA, and Chlöe Bailey.
For these artists, the emergence of AI in the music world feels more like a threat than a breakthrough.
Kehlani took to social media to express her frustration, stating, “There is an AI R&B artist who just signed a multimillion-dollar deal … and the person is doing none of the work. This is so beyond out of our control. Nothing and no one on Earth will ever be able to justify AI to me. I don’t respect it.”
SZA shared similar sentiments, extending the discussion to broader concerns beyond music itself. She remarked, “I’m not okay with this either. Why devalue our music??? Something tells me they wouldn’t do this with another genre… PLEASE KNOW EVERY TIME U USE OR PROMPT AI, SOMEONE IN A FORGOTTEN COMMUNITY IS SUFFERING. Eventually, the effects will reach everyone.”
Chlöe Bailey also voiced her thoughts, saying, “AI musical artists and songs? I feel AI should be banned when it comes to the creative spaces… this makes me sad.”
In contrast, Xania Monet is already making waves in the industry. Born from the creativity of Mississippi poet and designer Telisha “Nikki” Jones, Xania is not a physical artist; instead, Jones employs generative music software to transform her poetry into songs. This approach is paying off, as Xania recently reached No. 25 on Billboard’s Emerging Artists list, climbed to No. 21 on Hot Gospel Songs, and even achieved a No. 1 position on R&B Digital Song Sales with her track “How Was I Supposed to Know.”
The numbers are impressive, and her music has accumulated nearly 10 million U.S. streams, with over half of that total coming within the last week.
Yet, for artists like Kehlani, SZA, and Chlöe, these figures do little to alleviate their concerns. They worry that the genuine emotion, hard work, and struggles that define real R&B are being overshadowed by algorithms.
Can technology and soul music genuinely coexist, or is AI poised to fundamentally alter the landscape of artistry?
