Telisha Nikki Jones didn’t set out to change the music industry. Four months ago, the 31-year-old Mississippi poet was experimenting with artificial intelligence, trying to see if her writing could take on a new form. The result was Xania Monet — an AI-generated singer who just became the first of her kind to appear on a Billboard radio airplay chart with the R&B hit “How Was I Supposed to Know?”
Does AI Have Soul?
The achievement made Jones an overnight sensation and a lightning rod. After a bidding war, she signed a multimillion-dollar recording deal with Hallwood Media. But she also found herself at the center of a debate about what creativity means in the age of machines. In an interview with CBS Mornings’ Gayle King, Jones defended her work and her use of AI. “There’s real emotions and soul put into those lyrics,” she said. The songs, she explained, are based on poems she’s written since she was 24 — including the single inspired by the death of her father. “Xania is an extension of me,” she continued. “So I look at her as a real person.”
You Call It A Shortcut, She Calls It Process
Coding that helps Seaman robotics team Vex Ed control their robot is seen on a computer during a practice Thursday.
Jones describes her process as meticulous. She feeds her poems into an app called Suno, chooses prompts like “female voice,” “soulful vocals,” or “light guitar,” and then generates hundreds of iterations until the sound feels right. “I wouldn’t call it a shortcut,” she told King. “Anytime something new comes about and it challenges the norm, you’re going to get strong reactions. I look at AI as a tool — as an instrument.”
Artists Aren’t Thrilled About The Use Of Suno
Jul 15, 2023; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Singer-songwriter Kehlani performs during halftime at the 2023 WNBA All-Star Game at Michelob Ultra Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
That view isn’t shared by everyone. Critics argue that tools like Suno could threaten the livelihoods of working musicians. Grammy-nominated singer Kehlani posted a lengthy response online condemning AI in the arts. “Nothing and no one on earth will ever be able to justify AI to me,” she wrote. “Especially not in the creative arts, where people have worked, trained, and sacrificed for their entire lives.” She added that while Jones might be a talented poet, “I can’t paint, so I’m not going to create AI paintings and sell them, taking up space from actual painters.” The conversation has since expanded beyond the question of art and labor to include race and representation. When King asked whether the idea of an AI singer could enable “digital Blackface,” Jones didn’t shy away. “I understand why people would be offended by that,” she said. “But that’s why I’m here — I’m Telisha. I’m a Black woman. I created Xania.”
The Future of Music?
For now, Xania Monet’s success continues to grow. Her song is charting across five Billboard categories, from R&B Digital Song Sales to Adult R&B Airplay. And Hallwood Media, the company that signed Jones, has doubled down. “What Jones has done with Xania Monet represents the future of music,” the label said in a statement. “AI is breaking down barriers — giving creators who might not have had a traditional path the chance to bring their stories to life.”
