Viral ‘Drake & The Weeknd’ Song Made With AI Pulled From Streaming Services

Over the weekend, a new song believed to feature AI-generated vocals from Drake and the Weeknd went viral. Now, it has been pulled from streaming services, with Universal Music Group condemning “infringing content created with generative AI.” The original track was titled “Heart On My Sleeve” and released by an anonymous TikTok user called “Ghostwriter977.” By Monday afternoon, according to Billboard, the track had risen to 600K Spotify streams.

On Friday, Drake spoke out against another AI-generated song with his vocal over Ice Spice’s “Munich.” In a now-deleted Instagram story, Drake wrote, “This is the final straw AI.” In recent weeks, Drake’s voice has also been added to a version of Cardi B’s “WAP” and Bryson Tiller’s “Dont.” Other celebrity singers have been AI-impersonated too, with Rihanna being added to a cover of Beyoncé’s “Cuff It” on TikTok.

In a statement to Billboard, UMG said a viral AI track like “Heart On My Sleeve” “demonstrate why platforms have a fundamental legal and ethical responsibility to prevent the use of their services in ways that harm artists.”

UMG adds: “The training of generative AI using our artists’ music (which represents both a breach of our agreements and a violation of copyright law) as well as the availability of infringing content created with generative AI on DSPs, begs the question as to which side of history all stakeholders in the music ecosystem want to be on: the side of artists, fans and human creative expression, or on the side of deep fakes, fraud and denying artists their due compensation. We’re encouraged by the engagement of our platform partners on these issues – as they recognize they need to be part of the solution.”