virtual artists
The music industry is in constant transformation, driven by the advancement of technology and new forms of artistic creation. Enter All Music Works, a record label based in Málaga, Spain, that exclusively focuses on music and artists developed through artificial intelligence (AI). Founder Carlos Zehr spoke with Billboard Español about their innovative approach, the challenges they face, and how they might redefine the rules of the game in the music scene.
“This project was born out of personal frustration,” says Zehr. “I’ve always been passionate about music. I studied piano from a young age and have been a voracious consumer of concerts and festivals. But when I wanted to produce my own music, I encountered limitations in time, skills, and resources to achieve what I envisioned.” That barrier led him to explore AI tools applied to music production, a path that transformed his perspective: “I achieved results that were not only impressive in quality but also explored sounds and styles that I would like to hear in the current market.”
Zehr has a diverse background combining marketing, technology, and entrepreneurship. A 2014 graduate of the University of Granada, where he studied business administration and management, he has held leadership positions in marketing agencies and video game studios. In 2020, he founded Noname Hub, an agency focused on branding and innovation; and in 2022, he launched Nonoki, a music and video streaming platform that became one of the most popular apps in Spain and South Korea. Both projects are still active today.
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Unlike other projects that have used AI to launch individual virtual artists, such as bands associated with video games like League of Legends, All Music Works proposes a much more ambitious approach: the creation of a collective of artists with their own stories, personalities and musical styles. “We design each artist’s personality, visual style and musical genres from scratch,” says Zehr. “It all starts from a human process, with a detailed study and creative approach that we then augment with AI.”
The initial catalog includes 10 virtual artists from genres as diverse as indie rock, reggaetón, alternative trap and drum & bass. Among them are The Good Dog, a group that fuses Britpop and garage rock, and Cielo Roto, a Madrid-based band that mixes indie, rock and cumbia.
But All Music Works is only just beginning. “From here, we will be launching capsules with three new artists in the coming months, while continuing to push the trajectory of current artists,” says Zehr.
The next step is to bring All Music Works’ virtual artists to the stage. The company is now developing various formats of presentation, from DJ sets to immersive experiences, depending on the identity of each artist. However, its main focus is on hologram technology. “We are collaborating with production companies and advancing in research to implement holograms in our performances,” says Zehr. “We want the experience to be as impactful as it is innovative.”
The goal is not only to generate curiosity but to consolidate the company as a leader in an emerging industry around virtual artists that combines creativity and technology.
Being a pioneer in such a disruptive area is not without its challenges. Zehr acknowledges that, although the concept has generated curiosity and admiration, All Music Works has faced criticism and questions about authenticity and ethics around the use of AI. Being a trendsetter is “positive because we are blazing a trail,” he says, “but it also means being the first to face legal, ethical and creative challenges.”
All Music Works does not intend to replace human talent but rather to expand the creative landscape. “We are offering something that would not be possible without technology, but the human element remains essential,” he says. For him, AI is a powerful tool, not a substitute, because the creative process is still anchored in human intervention, from the conceptualization of the artists down to the most technical details. “We use technology to extend the limits of what we can achieve,” he says.
Being a pioneer in such a disruptive area is not without its challenges. Zehr acknowledges that All Music Works has faced criticism and questions about authenticity and ethics around the use of AI. Being a trendsetter is “positive because we are blazing a trail,” he says, “but it also means being the first to face legal, ethical and creative challenges.”
From the lyrics to the musical arrangements, every piece of music is precisely designed, adjusting details such as key or tempo to convey the desired emotions. This approach not only allows for the exploration of new styles but also ensures the authenticity of the creations.
According to Zehr, the company has generated unexpected interest in the music community. “We’ve received a flood of requests from real composers and musicians who want to work with us,” he says.
The team is also preparing to tackle legal challenges. Operating in as-yet unregulated terrain, the company is helping to set precedents for the industry, hand in hand with expert lawyers. “We are helping to define how these issues will be handled in the future,” Zehr stresses.
According to Zehr, the company has generated unexpected interest in the music community. “We’ve received a flood of requests from real composers and musicians who want to work with us,” he says.
In addition to its catalog of artists, the label is exploring collaborations with brands to develop virtual artist ambassadors. This approach offers an innovative way for brands to connect with their audiences through personalized and creative experiences.
All Music Works is launching at the beginning of what could be a new era in music, challenging established norms and offering new possibilities for artists and the industry. “The question is not whether music will change with technology, but how we are going to adapt to this change,” says Zehr.
Universal Music Group’s Def Jam Recordings is the latest major label imprint to venture into Web3 through the launch of a virtual band, The Whales. Comprised of cartoon NFT whale characters, the group’s debut full-length album has an all-star cast of producers and songwriters attached.
The deal is a partnership with The Catalina Whale Mixer, a collection of 5,555 NFT avatars on the Solana blockchain. Created by tech studio WAGMI Beach in December 2021, the concept of The Whales was born when co-founders Ben Willis and Joshua Andriano met with Def Jam’s DJ Mormile and Ryan Rodriguez. “We pitched the idea of a community-grown avatar group to DJ and [they] just got it,” says Willis. “To be working with Def Jam on releasing this one-of-a-kind new music project is a dream come true.”
Def Jam has not yet confirmed the musicians behind the project but says it will involve a “who’s who” of musical talent. The Whales’ first project will be released as a full-length album, while the group will tap into the broader Catalina Whales Mixer community to deepen the relationship between music and Web3 culture.
The virtual artist NFT playbook is becoming a trend among bigger record labels. The same concept was executed by 10:22PM — another Universal Music Group imprint — which licensed characters from the Bored Ape Yacht Club to create the animated band KINGSHIP. Warner Records’ Web3 subsidiary Probably a Label is also developing a virtual artist in collaboration with its 5,555 NFT holders through a voting system.
The team at WAGMI Beach — whose founders are music industry veterans themselves, previously at management company Indie Pop — believes this model will improve the way artists and labels engage directly with fans by letting them be part of the process. “At the core of all the NFT and Web3 attention is a fundamental technology change that will alter how music and art is consumed by generations to come,” said co-founder Alec Lykken. “This is our initial dive into what we believe to be an incredible new wave for artists and fans alike.”
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