No. 1 Christian artist topping the charts is AI:…
The satan is in the particulars.
An AI-generated Christian artist named Solomon Ray has taken the gospel music world by storm after topping the iTunes and Billboard charts with his album “Faithful Soul.”
Described as a “Mississippi-made soul singer carrying a Southern soul revival into the present” on his Spotify profile, Ray made waves after releasing the five-song EP on Nov. 7.
The file rose to No. 1 on the iTunes Top 100 Christian and Gospel Albums chart within days, and two songs from the project – “Find Your Rest” and “Goodbye Temptation” – at the moment sit at No. 1 and No. 2 on Billboard’s Gospel Digital Song Sales chart, respectively.
“Lord, I’m tired from all this stressing / Too weak to count my blessings / Ain’t got time for window dressing / Just tryna keep my soul intact,” Ray’s tune “Find Your Rest,” which has almost a million listens on Spotify, begins.
“I’ve been running hard, feet on fire / Dreams and duty tangled in wire / But when my strength starts slipping away / I still hear your voice saying,” the generic tune, which is rooted in the soul and gospel traditions, continues.
An AI-generated Christian artist named Solomon Ray has taken the gospel music world by storm.
Solomon Ray topped the iTunes and Billboard charts with his album “Faithful Soul.”
The tune’s refrain lacks the inventive decisions, coronary heart and soul that listeners hear in standard human gospel singers like Brandon Lake, Forrest Frank and Torey D’Shaun.
“Don’t grow weary in well-doing / Get those problems off your chest / Cast your cares on my shoulders / And I’ll give you rest,” the refrain goes.
Ray is depicted in a number of AI pictures and videos as a man carrying a gold cross necklace, a white collared shirt, a go well with and a tan fedora.
(*1*) the verified artist’s Spotify profile notes.
Solomon Ray is depicted in a number of AI pictures and videos as a Black man carrying a gold cross necklace, a white collared shirt and a fedora.
The AI-generated Christian artist’s tune “Find Your Rest” at the moment sits at No. 1 on Billboard’s Gospel Digital Song Sales chart YouTube Music
However, Ray didn’t seem out of the blue. Conservative hip-hop artist Christopher “Topher” Townsend recognized himself as “the man behind the machine” in a video shared to Instagram on Nov. 19.
But Ray’s success in topping the iTunes and Billboard charts has sparked a debate in the gospel group and past concerning the ethics of utilizing AI to create music.
Forrest Frank, whose hit tune “Your Way’s Better” reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart earlier this 12 months, took to social media to argue that Ray doesn’t have a soul and therefore Ray’s songs don’t depend as artwork.
Conservative hip-hop artist Christopher “Topher” Townsend recognized himself as the human behind Solomon Ray’s creation.
“At minimum, AI does not have the Holy Spirit inside of it,” Frank, 30, said. “So I think that it’s really weird to be opening up your spirit to something that has no spirit.”
Townsend later fired back in an Instagram video of his own.
“This is an extension of my creativity, so therefore to me it’s art,” Townsend said following the backlash against his AI creation. “It’s definitely inspired by a Christian. It may not be performed by one, but I don’t know why that really matters in the end.”
Christian artist Forrest Frank spoke out against the inclusion of AI artists like Solomon Ray in gospel music.
Another musician named Solomon Ray, who is a real human and works as a worship chief, spoke out following the AI singer’s success as effectively.
After receiving messages from associates about topping the Christian charts, this Ray addressed the AI elephant in the room.
“There’s something in the high end of the vocals that gives it away,” he said, according to Christianity Today. “And the creative choices sound like AI. It’s so precise that it’s clear no creative choices are really being made.”
“How much of your heart are you pouring into this?” he added. “If you’re having AI generate it for you, the answer is zero. God wants costly worship.”
Solomon Ray has almost a million listeners on Spotify.
Solomon Ray’s creator defended the AI artist and argued that it ought to depend as artwork despite being computer-generated. Apple Music
Other gospel music followers rushed to the feedback part of one of Ray’s songs to slam the stunning use of AI behind the Christian hit.
“AI… no thanks, there are plenty of real singers I can support,” one particular person wrote.
“Not all y’all in the comments not realizing this is an AI video and an AI voice singing,” added another. “We are doomed.”
“Guys, this is AI! No spirit in it sadly,” commented a third, while a fourth shared, “This AI is drawing people away from real Christian singers. Don’t be sucked in. Be aware in these last days.”
The Post has reached out to Townsend, Apple Music and Billboard for remark.
Gospel music followers slammed Solomon Ray online after studying that the artist was AI.
This wouldn’t be the first time that an AI artist prompted a stir within the music industry.
Breaking Rust, another computer-generated singer created by the unknown songwriter Aubierre Rivaldo Taylor, made headlines earlier this month when his tune “Walk My Walk” topped the Billboard Country Digital Song Sales chart.
Like Solomon Ray, Breaking Rust acquired blended reactions from followers and specialists.
Singer Breland called the AI artist’s success and recognition “a bad sign for the future of music” in a assertion to The Post, while music software program specialist Jason Palamara warned that AI “will have a corrosive effect on the whole industry.”
Breaking Rust, another computer-generated singer, made headlines earlier this month. Breaking Rust
Breaking Rust’s tune “Walk My Walk” topped the Billboard Country Digital Song Sales chart. Breaking Rust
Spotify, meanwhile, insisted that it is dedicated to “providing listeners with more transparency” despite the regarding rise of AI artists on the platform.
“We support artists’ freedom to use AI creatively while actively combating its misuse by content farms and bad actors,” a Spotify spokesperson told The Post.
“Spotify does not create or own music,” the company continued, “this is a platform for licensed music where royalties are paid based on listener engagement, and all music is treated equally, regardless of the tools used to make it.”
The AI-generated nation star was created by an unknown songwriter named Aubierre Rivaldo Taylor. Breaking Rust
As for Billboard, they acknowledged that neither Solomon Ray nor Breaking Rust can be the first computer-generated artist to chart in latest months.
“AI music is no longer a fantasy or niche curiosity among internet sleuths. It’s here, and it’s already beginning to have an impact on Billboard’s charts,” Billboard said in a assertion on Nov. 4.
“In just the past few months, at least six AI or AI-assisted artists have debuted on various Billboard rankings,” it continued. “That figure could be higher, as it’s become increasingly difficult to tell who or what is powered by AI — and to what extent.”
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