The title track of Sheryl Crow‘s new album, Evolution, ponders the dangers that AI poses to the music industry, and in a new interview, she’s slamming superstar rapper Drake for using the technology to resurrect a long-dead artist.
Earlier this year, Drake used AI on his song “Taylor Made Freestyle” to recreate the voice of late rapper Tupac Shakur. The song was taken down after Tupac’s estate threatened to sue, but Sheryl tells the BBC that Drake never should have done it in the first place. “You cannot bring people back from the dead and believe that they would stand for that,” she says.
“I’m sure Drake thought, ‘Yeah, I shouldn’t do it, but I’ll say sorry later,’” she continues. “But it’s already done, and people will find it even if he takes it down. It’s hateful. It is antithetical to the life force that exists in all of us.”
The one thing that gives her hope, Sheryl says, is that “AI can do lots of things, but it can’t go out and play live.” She adds, “So as long as we have live music, as long as we have hands holding a paintbrush, all is not lost.”
Speaking of playing live, Sheryl also tells the BBC that she was considered to replace Christine McVie on Fleetwood Mac‘s 2003 tour after McVie left the band, but she ruined her chances.
“There were talks, yeah, but I kind of blew it,” she says. “I talked about it in the press.” After insinuating that Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsay Buckingham put the kibosh on her joining after that, Sheryl backtracks and tells the BBC, “I mean, I love everyone in that band. And I feel honored to be able to say that. Just knowing them has been amazing.”
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