Shocking: “AI Singer” Zana Monae Signs $3 Million Contract, Artists Speak Out: “This Is Soul Stealing”

The music industry, which is supposed to celebrate emotion, authenticity, and human talent, has just witnessed a seismic shift that challenges the very definition of art. Last week, a completely non-existent “artist,” a product of artificial intelligence, took the industry by storm when he signed a $3 million record deal and immediately shot to the number one spot on the R&B digital sales chart.

The emergence of Zana Monae is more than just a technological milestone; it’s a painful wake-up call, forcing every real artist to confront a terrifying truth: they are at risk of being replaced by perfect algorithms, programmed to replicate their very souls and struggles. Most alarmingly, the industry is deliberately launching the AI ​​era by exploiting the voices and styles of women of color, who are already undervalued and marginalized.

I. Technological Miracle or Blatant Theft?

Zana Monae, who is dominating the charts, is a creation developed by Telicia Jones, using artificial intelligence tools to generate both visuals and music. The key is that the computer-generated singer uses the app Sundo—a tool backed by legendary producer Timbaland himself—to create songs that sound uncannily like a cross between Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson, and Tiffany Evans.

To become an AI superstar, Zana Monae doesn’t need any traditional human infrastructure:

No effort required: No years of vocal training, no sleeping on studio floors, no worrying about vocal injuries. Just a few clicks to superstardom.
No Face-to-Face: During her historic $3 million contract signing, Zana Monae didn’t even have to show her face via Zoom. The deal was made entirely based on the quality of her voice and the storytelling abilities of the algorithm.
No need to perform: She doesn’t need to prove her live singing ability, because she… can’t sing live.

Still, Zana Monae’s numbers don’t lie. Her song “How Was I Supposed to Know” shot to number one on the R&B digital sales chart, while also hitting the Emerging Artists chart and even the Gospel chart. Multiple labels were bidding to acquire her, pushing the contract price up to $3 million before Howard Media closed the deal.

This success raises a serious ethical question: Where is the AI ​​getting its training data? Record labels are being sued in class action for alleged copyright infringement. It has been reported that AI platforms took “tens of millions of songs from public platforms” to create Zana Monae, making the achievement an act of plagiarism and stealing intellectual property from real artists.

II. Absolute Profit and the Devaluation of the Soul

What makes Zana Monae a $3 million bargain is the incredibly profitable business model she offers record labels. An AI artist doesn’t need any of the traditional infrastructure that a human artist would require:

No touring costs: No manager to book shows, no media agent, no agent to book hotels, security or entourage.
No staff demands: There are no writer demands, no “diva” moments, and most importantly, no human needs or emotions that need to be met.

In short, Zana Monae is a product that exists entirely in the digital space, which drastically reduces her operating costs while maximizing her profits. It’s a basic business formula: find a way to get the same product for less money and with more profit.

What’s more frustrating is the industry’s conflicting priorities. While record labels complain that they can’t find or afford to invest in new black talent, they’re willing to spend millions of dollars on a virtual entity they can completely control. An AI artist requires no creativity, no personal opinions, no equal treatment, and most importantly, no soul to resist whatever agenda they want to push.

III. The Wave of Outrage: The Artist’s Existential Crisis

The reaction from artists has been swift, fierce, and absolutely necessary. They cannot stand by and watch as the industry legitimizes public “theft.”

SZA and Kehlani both weighed in with harsh words, with Kehlani stating: “AI can create entire songs. It can sing entire songs. It can create entire beats… This is beyond our control, and nothing in this world can justify AI to me.”
Chloe Bailey breaks down the depth of the problem.
But perhaps the most iconic protest came from Tiffany Evans , whose voice is being simulated by AI. While folding laundry, she made a scathing video response, calling Zana Monae a “f***ing bitch” and warning record labels: “Don’t let me find out you ran my voice or Kehlani’s voice or any of our voices through the Sunno app, because that’s exactly what you’re doing.”

These reactions clearly show how artists feel about the digital invasion of their profession. In an industry that already undervalues ​​and underpays female artists of color, creating perfect fake versions of them to replace them is seen as the ultimate exploitation.

IV. Dystopian Future: The Death of Human Talent

The scary reality is that the technology behind AI artists is advancing rapidly, narrowing the gap in quality between human and synthetic voices. What used to take months to produce can now be done in just days. Timbaland admits that it’s the combination of AI and humans that allows production to “move faster” – a very attractive advantage from a business perspective.

Now, investors and producers are looking to the next phase: hologram technology for live performances. Companies are planning to let these AI artists perform live through advanced hologram systems, eliminating the need for cameras, traditional recording setups, and eventually, human talent itself 

This leads to an existential crisis for fans: are we connecting with the art or the artist? If a song touches your emotions but is generated by an algorithm, does that lessen its impact? Music has always been about human connection, shared experiences and emotional vulnerability. When we remove the human element entirely, what is left? Just perfectly crafted sound, designed to manipulate our emotions without any authentic experience behind it.

The message is clear: Your authenticity, your struggles, and your soul—none of it matters if they can cheaply replicate your sound with a computer. The fact that major labels are investing millions of dollars in this technology while claiming they can’t develop real talent says everything about their priorities.

The question isn’t whether AI will change the music industry—it’s already happening. The question is whether we’ll allow it to completely replace the human heart and soul that makes music truly meaningful in the first place. And judging by the $3 million contracts and chart-topping positions, it seems like that decision has already been made without our consent.