AI music platform Suno announced a new incubator program for independent musicians, the company’s latest goal in courting the artist community as AI remains among the most controversial topics among creators.
The new program, called Spark, will include grants, mentorship and marketing support, Suno said, as the company said it’s looking to “help more artists turn ideas into finished projects, connect those projects with fans, and build new opportunities to grow their careers both on and beyond Suno.”
“Making it as an independent artist isn’t easy,” Suno chief music officer Paul Sinclair and head of creator economy and monetization Rosie Nguyen said in a blog post published Thursday morning. “Every day, we meet talented artists with great ideas, unique perspectives, and a clear vision for their music, but who may not have the resources or connections to take the next step. At Suno, we want to help create a future where more artists have the opportunity to develop their craft, find their audience, and build sustainable creative careers.”
Sinclair and Nguyen said that potential applicants for Spark must be at least 18-years-old, be a musician releasing music under their own name and must be an unsigned, independent act.
Suno entered the music business to significant controversy, as all the major record companies sued the company on allegations of mass copyright infringement over Suno’s AI training model. Suno reached a settlement and partnership with Warner Music Group last year and since then has looked to further position itself to music creators as a partner. (Suno remains in litigation with major labels Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment.)
“One of the best parts of working in music is discovering artists at the beginning of their journey,” Sinclair and Nguyen wrote. “We can’t wait to meet the talented creatives who join Spark, hear what they’re working on, share their stories, and learn from them along the way.”
Despite the legal dispute, Suno has continued to grow more valuable, as the company recently closed a $400 million funding round that valued the company at $5.4 billion.
While Suno has looked to posture itself as an artist-friendly tool, there’s still no shortage of artists staunchly against AI music creation. Over the weekend, SZA took to social media strongly criticizing hundreds of her songs being used to train AI models, writing that “If your a musician and you support this degenerate shit? Your disgusting and there’s NOTHING YOU COULD EVER SAY TO ME TO MAKE THIS OKAY.”
Doja Cat similarly decried AI this week after she said fans had mistaken some AI songs online for hers. “Fuck AI for real,” Doja wrote.
