The Ethical Dilemma Behind AI-Powered Country Hit ‘Walk My Walk’ Inspired by Blanco Brown

When the AI-generated country track “Walk My Walk” ascended to No. 1 on Billboard’s country digital song sales chart this month, it was attributed to a fictitious artist named Breaking Rust, a white, digitally-created avatar. However, the song’s vocal style and melodic structure originated from Grammy-nominated artist Blanco Brown, a Black musician renowned for his collaborations with Britney Spears and Rihanna, who was unaware of the song's existence until friends alerted him. “My phone just kept blowing up,” expressed Brown, highlighting the uncanny nature of the situation. Included among the creators of the song is Aubierre Rivaldo Taylor, noted as the songwriter and producer. This incident underscores the transformative impact of AI on the music landscape, raising essential legal and ethical queries. As Brown prepares to release his own version of the song, he emphasizes the need for accountability in artistic ownership amidst this rapidly evolving technological frontier.

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