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4 weeks ago
11
TikTok users have been devastated to learn that the 'biggest song of the year' may have been created by AI.
The song 'I Run' by HAVEN has been a huge breakaway hit, reaching number 11 on Spotify in the US and 25 worldwide.
However, the track's mysterious artist and uncredited vocalist have raised suspicions that the song might not have been made by human musicians.
On social media, former fans have been left heartbroken, with one venting: 'We're in a dystopian hell.'
After its rapid rise in the charts, I Run has disappeared from Spotify and Apple Music.
A Spotify spokesperson told Daily Mail: 'Spotify strictly prohibits artist impersonation. This track was detected and removed, and no royalties were paid out for any streams generated.'
'AI will be our demise,' one commenter bleakly wrote.
Another complained: 'It's unfortunate that people would rather listen to an AI song over a REAL artist with REAL music.'
TikTok users have been left devastated after discovering that 'the song of the year' may have been created by AI
The song I Run, by HAVEN, shot to number 25 on the Spotify global chart before abruptly vanishing. The artists has described this as a 'take down', prompting concern that the song might have been removed for using AI
I Run was released on October 28 and rapidly rose to the top of the streaming charts/
On YouTube, where the song can still be found, I Run has been listened to over 2.8 million times in less than a month.
On social media, fans gushed over their new favourite song, with one writing that they 'cannot get this sound out of my soul.'
However, the circumstances around the hit's release have raised several questions.
I Run is the first single released by a musician using the alias HAVEN, who has not released any other music.
On Spotify and Apple Music, there is no vocalist credited on the track, and HAVEN has been keeping their identity obscured.
When the song first started circulating on social media, many accounts repeated the claim that the vocals were from the singer Jorja Smith or even that this was an unreleased Jorja Smith single.
This was based on the extreme levels of similarity between the vocalist on I Run and Jorja Smith's own recordings.
The song's vocals are uncredited and bear a striking resemblance to the voice of the singer Jorja Smith, leading many to believe that they were created with AI
Jorja Smith has since spoken out to deny these claims, writing in a comment on TikTok: 'It's not meeeee.'
Meanwhile, London-based producer Harrison Walker has confirmed that he is the musician behind HAVEN.
However, as speculation that the track might have used AI gathered on social media, I Run has suddenly vanished from streaming services.
This has raised suspicions, since Spotify has recently hardened its position on using AI to impersonate other artists.
Spotify recently confirmed that it will 'remove music that impersonates another artist's voice without their permission — whether that's using AI voice cloning or any other method.'
This includes music which does not name the impersonated artist but uses vocals that are 'clearly recognisable'.
In the 12 months leading up to September, Spotify removed 75 million AI-generated tracks and has implemented new tools making it harder to upload AI spam.
HAVEN posted an update video on TikTok but did not address the accusations of using AI in their music
The sudden disappearance of I Run, following its meteoric rise, has been seen by some as a sign that Spotify and Apple Music finally noticed the AI-generated elements.
As reported by the music publication Hits, Mr Walker claims that the vocals on I Run are actually his own voice 'run through layers of processing and filtering' until it sounds unrecognisable.
This is a similar process to how other so-called 'AI clone' vocals are produced; a musician feeds lyrics and a tune into an AI, which replaces their voice.
In 2023, the musician Grimes freely distributed similar software, allowing any musician to clone her voice for their own music.
In the same year, Spotify was forced to remove a song called 'My Sleeve', which used AI vocals impersonating Drake, after Universal Music Group criticised the song for infringing on their material.
To make matters worse, HAVEN has yet to provide any clarification on why the song has suddenly vanished.
On TikTok, HAVEN posted a video showing the back of an unidentified man's head sitting in front of a computer, who says: It's HAVEN, I just wanted to jump on here to show you that I am a real person.'
He added: 'We're aware of the take downs, working really hard to get it sorted for you... rest assured that we are coming back and I can't wait to share it all with you.'
The artist behind HAVEN is Harrison Walker, a London-based producer, who confirmed their involvement with the project on Facebook
However, some fans were not put off by the potential use of AI. One commenter wrote that AI was 'going to be the future'
Another commenter said that they didn't care whether the song had a human artist or not, adding: 'The song still bangs'
This has left many fans feeling 'betrayed' by the realisation that the beloved song could have been produced by AI.
On TikTok, one commenter wrote: 'I felt so deceived when I found out this song has AI vocals… It's so viral, it's so disheartening to see.
Another commenter added: 'AI shouldn't be allowed to replace human creativity. Ya know… the one thing that makes us HUMAN.'
'Just get a real person for the vocals bro,' another chipped in.
However, not everyone saw the use of AI as a reason to give up on the artist, with one commenter writing: 'Why is AI an issue like I don't understand like as much as I hate it to realistically AI is going to be the future.'
Another added: 'Who even cares if it is AI. The song bangs.'
'I personally do not care if it ai.. it's good and I enjoy the song,' added another.
Harrison Walker, Isekai Records, Broke Records, and Spotify have been contacted for comment.
