ChatGBT and AI art have been the talk of the internet for the past few months, changing many peoples’ opinions on whether technology will ever outperform humans in creative endeavors. But it’s not just writing and portraits that AI is out to beat.
On January 4th 2023, Fred King — or, as he’s better known, MusicSnake — premiered his new music video for “Emily Beat.” As the video starts, it’s immediately apparent that its “trippy” animation uses an impressive number of frames and visual effects. But there’s one thing that makes it particularly special: AI is the secret behind the visuals and not a team of animators.
Background to the song
The video features pop art elements and fairytale characters, such as those Alice in Wonderland, Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel. It opens by focusing on a girl who changes form subtly and gradually; then, as the song and video progress, new faces and characters emerge.
Emily Beat is the instrumental version of King’s song “Emily,” which comes from his recent album “By.” “Emily” (the original song) was dedicated to Fred King’s daughter, born in April 2021. It’s a far cry from MusicSnake’s usual subject matter — the Belarus-born artist often releases politically-focused songs, such as those regarding Putin and the Russian war (King also removed his catalog of Russian songs from music streaming platforms in protest).
His new song explores his emotional side and personal life, although the instrumental version used in the video ensures most of the viewer’s attention goes to the visuals.
Spotlight on AI music videos
Although this AI-driven approach to the video is pioneering, MusicSnake isn’t the first to try similar techniques. For instance, the artist Die Antwoord recently released an AI video for the song “Age of Illusion,” which uses anime drawing styles alongside a dreamlike sequence, in which characters and landscapes constantly shift forms. Another example is “Ghost” by GUNSHIP, which takes a slightly different approach by using AI to produce cosmic and surreal imagery, along with demonic figures.
Plus, YouTube channel Hueman Instrumentality recently released multiple music videos generated by AI for existing songs. One of them is Echoes by Pink Floyd. It contains a wide range of visual styles and patterns — but goes one step further than the other artist by including frames of the band members, making it possible to create new content out of the past.
Are AI videos the future?
This AI trend offers new ways for artists to express themselves by enabling them to showcase complex storylines and visuals that would have previously required thousands of hours or an entire team of animators to create. It’s an exciting opportunity for independent artists, who typically lack the budget needed for elaborate music videos.
Plus, projects like the Pink Floyd videos make it easier to create fresh music videos of canonical artists using old footage or images. At the same time, it’s unlikely that more conventional videos are going anywhere any time soon.