DC producer bags first Future Sound Award for AI music

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.

Credit: Maria Korneeva

An American producer has won the inaugural Future Sound Award, the so-called ‘Grammys’ for AI music.

That person is Scott Templeman, a Washington DC-based artist who records under the name Sword For Hire. Templeman entered his track Sweetest Illusion, a sultry ’90s-influenced R&B track that was composed and produced entirely using AI.

Narcis Marincat, Head of AI at Fanvue and Future Sound Awards judge, commented: “The richness and emotion in the shortlisted songs is what captivated all the judges. Sword for Hire’s track stood out because it channels a very modern kind of intimacy, but through the prism of R&B’s golden age. That mix of timeless inspiration and personal vision demonstrates the power of AI in the music creation process.

He continued: “I was particularly interested in songs where it was almost impossible to tell if AI was used in the process – and Sweetest Illusion nailed it. It is a song deserving of the Top 40 Official Charts in my view.”

Templeman explained that he was deliberately aiming for a ballad of “power, restraint and desire” that drew on the tradition of artists like Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu and Whitney Houston.

“I made sure to write down the core idea before I even showered. Before refining the track architecture and exact vocal performance I envisioned – creating that electric tension of connection, and the mature choice to keep it unspoken.”

“I wanted a song Whitney Houston would be proud to sing. It had to be sensual but never cheap, powerful but not overwrought. AI tools gave me the ability to capture that balance – but the emotion, the humanity, that came from me.”

His prize is $7000 and the Future Sound Awards platinum disk. The two runners up to Templeman were German producer Aidan Yagu with his track Give Anarchy A Try and the UK’s very own Gallis with his entry Chiropractor.

Launched by the Fanvue World AI Creator Awards (WAICAs), the Future Sound Awards were created, they say, to prove that AI is amplifying human creativity, not replacing it. It’s the first venture into music for Fanvue, the subscription creator platform.

At a time when controversy is raging about AI’s place in music (and whether it should have any place at all), the Awards would seem, at the very least, to present a positive image of technology’s application.

Indeed, Jeff Nang, one of the judges said as much in his press statement: “What makes these awards important is that they show the other side of AI in music. Not just hype, not just tech — but the real people using these tools to tell their stories.”