“Heart on My Sleeve,” the song from a TikTok user that was modeled using AI-generated vocals from Drake and The Weeknd, is not eligible for a Grammy after all.
In a New York Times story published Tuesday, representatives for creator ghostwriter977 said the song had been submitted for next year’s Grammy Awards. In the article, Harvey Mason Jr., the CEO of the Recording Academy, said the song was “absolutely eligible” on the creative side “because it was written by a human.”
Now Mason has returned to the public spotlight singing a very different tune.
“I’m sorry but I have to clear up some of this bad and really inaccurate information that’s starting to float around. This version of ‘Heart on My Sleeve’ using AI voice modeling that sounds like Drake and The Weeknd, it’s not eligible for Grammy consideration,” Mason said in an Instagram post.
Though the song was written by a human creator, it’s not eligible because the vocals were not legally obtained and the TikTok user did not get clearance from Drake, The Weeknd or their labels. Also, the song is not commercially available, another reason why the song is not eligible.
“I take this stuff very seriously. It’s all complicated, it’s moving really, really quickly,” Mason continued. “But please, please do not be confused. The Academy is here to support and advocate and protect and represent human artists and human creators, period.”
“Heart on My Sleeve” is the latest way artificial intelligence has been challenging the music industry. When the song first debuted, it nearly cracked Billboard charts before it was pulled. In April, Universal Music Group, which represents Sting, The Weeknd, Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande, sent letters to several music platforms including Apple Music and Spotify, asking them to block AI platforms from learning from the melodies and lyrics of their songs.
