Teddy Swims, born Jaten Collin Dimsdale, has taken the music world by storm. He enchants liberators with his beguiling blend of R&B, country, and soul. Swims most recently climbed the pop radio charts with the release of his single, “Lose Control.” This year, he was nominated for Best New Artist of the Year by the Grammy Awards. His debut album, “I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 1),” released in September 2023, showcases his artistic versatility and emotional depth.
Swims’ stage name reflects both his lifelong nickname, Teddy, and an acronym—SWIMS, which stands for “Someone Who Isn’t Me Sometimes.” This artistic duality strikes a chord with fans, as he capably processes intimate themes in his music. Notably, Part 2 of his album recently secured the number one position on the ARIA Albums Chart, further solidifying his status as a rising star in the industry.
The Role of AI in Teddy Swims’ Music
In the age of technology, technology is rapidly changing the creative environment. Here’s how Teddy Swims has used artificial intelligence (AI) to level up his music-making. He even goes so far as to say that AI is “really great,” acknowledging its ability to supercharge creativity. Yet, he is very much attuned to the ethical questions involved with its application.
As a result, thousands of AI-generated songs using Swims’ voice suddenly went live on platforms like YouTube every day. These works are just the tip of the AI-generated iceberg. They raise valuable conversations about copyright owners and fair compensation for music creators. Teddy Swims recently spoke up about his fear that songs made with AI tools would not belong to anyone.
“And he said, ‘no, actually, it was the guy that uploaded it, that made the AI. He owns the copyright to it.”‘ – Teddy Swims
This eye-opening discovery demonstrates the challenges that artists encounter when their creations are mixed up with AI-generated material. Swims made it clear that artists who authentically create their music shouldn’t be forced out by AI productions.
Concerns About Compensation and Fairness
As the music industry grapples with the rise of AI, other artists and industry professionals have voiced their concerns about fair compensation. Longtime music industry stalwart Luke Conway passionately communicated the need for a protective system. This new system needs to protect the songwriters and producers who rely on the revenue from royalties to support themselves.
“People have put their livelihoods into making songs, both the composition copyrights and the recorded copyrights, and these AI models have been trained on copyrights without permission.” – Luke Conway
This is where AI-generated music and traditional artistry create a fascinating conflict. This dynamic creates real challenges to ensuring that dedicated creators are compensated fairly and meaningfully for their work. Conway pointed out a particularly worrisome trend. If a substantial portion of music listening shifted to AI-generated tunes, legitimate artists would be playing a losing hand with their potential earnings.
“If 10 percent of music that’s listened to becomes AI music, that means that the real artists make 10 percent less money.” – Luke Conway
Teddy Swims expressed the same frustration about how creators are paid in this new and rapidly changing world where AI is taking a more prominent role. He knows compensation models need to change to allow artists to continue to prosper.
The Future of Music Creation
While staying cautious over what AI means for music-making, Teddy Swims is looking forward to what tomorrow holds for artists. He recognizes that technology can be a great partner if deployed wisely. Swims has already cut his teeth on AI through remixing old concepts into new compositions.
“And I was like, I could probably just maybe take this chorus and rework it and write some verses to it.” – Teddy Swims
At the same time, he advocates for clear determination of ownership and rights when it comes to AI-generated works. The issues over copyright ownership and what those rights really mean can add unnecessary confusion and frustration for artists hoping to make their mark on this exciting new frontier.
“So, you would have to ask him and get rights from him to use my own voice on a song I apparently created.” – Teddy Swims
