Xania Monet, the AI-driven R&B artist created by writer Telisha “Nikki” Jones, released a new single Friday, Dec. 19, titled “Say My Name With Respect,” using the track to directly address mounting criticism surrounding artificial intelligence in music. As debate over AI performers continues to divide the industry, Monet’s latest release frames the conversation as personal rather than theoretical.
The song finds Monet responding to claims that her work lacks sincerity or genuine creative effort. On the record, she sings, “Funny how you went to the media first/ Talking about my pen like you know my work/ You don’t know the nights I cried to write/ Or how many songs healed somebody’s life/ You say I ain’t real/ You say I don’t create/ But your voice shake a little every time you create because deep down you know I’m destined to shine.” The lyrics emphasize emotional labor and listener impact as proof of artistic validity.
Though no names are spoken, the message appears aimed at high-profile critics, including Kehlani, who has been vocal in rejecting AI musicians. Monet presses the point later in the song, adding, “You keep saying I’m not a real artist, right/ But somehow my songs still change somebody’s night/ People say my lyrics saved them, that’s real art.”
The release follows months of scrutiny directed at AI-based acts, which intensified after reports emerged that Monet had landed a multimillion-dollar record deal. In September, Kehlani reacted strongly to that news, writing, “There is an AI R&B artist who just signed a multimillion-dollar deal… and the person is doing none of the work. This is so beyond out of our control. Nothing and no one on Earth will ever be able to justify AI to me. I don’t respect it.”
With “Say My Name With Respect,” Monet positions herself as an active participant in the genre, challenging critics to reconsider how authenticity is defined in a changing musical landscape.
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