TUNECORE PARTNERS WITH CREATESAFE USING GRIMES’ ELF.TECH TO FACILITATE COLLABORATION BETWEEN AI AND SELF-RELEASING ARTISTS

[L-R]: Andreea Gleeson, CEO, TuneCore; Grimes; Daouda Leonard, CEO, CreateSafe

June 12th, 2023 – TuneCore, the leading development partner for self-releasing artists (owned by Paris-based Believe, one of the world’s leading digital music companies), has partnered with category-defining AI development studio CreateSafe and Grimes. The initiative is part of Believe's wider AI strategy, and enables TuneCore artists to distribute collaborations created through Grimes' Elf.Tech AI to all major streaming platforms. The partnership sprang from conversations during Beatport’s International Music Summit in Ibiza in late April 2023.

Last month Grimes took to social media to invite her fans to co-create using her AI voice in their songs if they split 50% of the revenue with her—the typical terms Grimes sets with her collaborators. Through the partnership with TuneCore, Grimes is able to consent to use of her voice in other creator’s releases, have control of the content that is distributed, and participate in the revenue from those releases at scale.

The pilot program will allow artists and fans to use Elf.Tech to upload pre-recorded a capellas or record their own original vocal tracks and transform them into a ‘GrimesAI voiceprint,’ which can be exported and included in the creator's original compositions then uploaded to TuneCore with GrimesAI as a main or featured artist at a 50% royalty split between Grimes and the creators, once Grimes has approved the collaboration. TuneCore will review the content to ensure it adheres to DSP guidelines, validate accurate royalty splits and ultimately distribute the music to streaming platforms around the world.

Andreea Gleeson, CEO, TuneCore commented, “The use of AI allows artists to enhance their creativity, build a deeper relationship with their fans through co-creation, and establish a new revenue stream. It also expands the pool of music creators by making it easier for people to create music. By joining forces with Grimes and CreateSafe, TuneCore becomes a first mover in the space, providing artists the opportunity to engage with AI technology in an innovative, streamlined process that provides tangible value and enables consent, control and revenue splits at scale. Going forward we’re eager to explore similarly innovative initiatives on behalf of our artists.”

Grimes commented, “Very stoked to be working with CreateSafe and TuneCore to enable their users to distribute collaborations with GrimesAI to all major streaming platforms! Through this unique pilot partnership, I can consent to the use of my voice in other creators' releases, share revenue and easily distribute everyone’s work. Excited to be trying new things!”

The Elf.Tech model for developing Grimes voiceprint has been trained exclusively on vocals and content that Grimes owns and GrimesAI does not claim any ownership of the sound recording or the underlying composition (unless that composition is a cover of a Grimes song).

Daouda Leonard, CEO, CreateSafe commented, “Elf.Tech is the first showcase of our TRINITI operating system, a landmark platform for generative music AI. It empowers artists to train AI on their audio, visual, and literary IP, codifying and protecting their creative DNA and opening up pathways for other artists and fans alike to make new works that directly attribute and compensate the original source. In partnering with TuneCore, we’re bridging the gap between the traditional music business and the future, streamlining cumbersome processes and reducing costs for the next generation of creators.”

This innovative partnership with CreateSafe and Grimes offers a responsible way for music creators to participate in creation using AI tools and technology. As such, it reflects Believe Group’s greater AI strategy, which is based on five principles: consent, control, adding value, sharing value, and properly identifying all AI assisted tracks.

About Believe:
Believe is one of the world’s leading digital music companies. Believe’s mission is to develop independent artists and labels in the digital world by providing them the solutions they need to grow their audience at each stage of their career and development. Believe’s passionate team of digital music experts around the world leverages the Group’s global technology platform to advise artists and labels, distribute and promote their music. Its 1,650 employees in more than 50 countries aim to support independent artists and labels with a unique digital expertise, respect, fairness and transparency. Believe offers its various solutions through a portfolio of brands including Believe, TuneCore, Nuclear Blast, Naïve, Groove Attack, AllPoints, Ishtar and Byond. Believe is listed on compartment A of the regulated market of Euronext Paris (Ticker: BLV, ISIN: FR0014003FE9). www.believe.com

About TuneCore:
TuneCore is the leading independent development partner for self-releasing artists to build audiences and careers – with technology and services across distribution, publishing administration, and a range of promotional services. TuneCore Music Distribution services help artists, labels, and managers sell their music through Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, TikTok, Tencent, and more than 150 download and streaming stores worldwide, while retaining 100 percent of their sales revenue and rights for a low annual flat fee. TuneCore Music Publishing Administration assists songwriters by administering their compositions through licensing, registration, worldwide royalty collections, and placement opportunities in film, TV, commercials, video games, and more. The TuneCore Artist Services portal offers a suite of tools and services that enable artists to promote their craft, connect with fans, and get their music heard. TuneCore, part of Believe, is headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, with offices in Los Angeles, and Nashville, and operates globally through local teams based in the UK, Germany, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, India, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines and Singapore across 5 continents. www.tunecore.com

About CreateSafe:
CreateSafe is an AI development studio specializing in digital asset management software and protocols for the music industry. Founded in January 2018 and based in Los Angeles, CreateSafe aims to empower a new, transparent music industry. Starting as a music and IP think-tank, the company has built products like the Record Deal Simulator and Droplink, servicing a diverse range of artists, including Grimes, DJ Snake, BloodPop®, Lady Gaga, Take a Daytrip, Lil Nas X, and Dom McLennon. www.createsafe.io

About Grimes:
Grimes is a multidisciplinary artist who came to prominence with her album Visions which she produced herself in GarageBand. This was followed by the critically acclaimed album Art Angels and the critically disliked (but much better-performing album) Miss Anthropocene, which were also both fully self-produced. Some of her other artistic pursuits include scoring the Emmy-winning opening credits of the Netflix series Hilda and voicing a popstar cyborg in the video game Cyberpunk 2077. As a live act, she started out with many years of van touring but has worked her way up to a festival headliner. Grimes is also a visual artist, often directing her music videos. She’s had one of the most successful NFT drops of all time and is known for her work in the digital art space. Her work with the AI music generation app Endel won the Apple Watch app of the year in 2020. A provocateur and philosopher, Grimes has been both criticized and lauded for her theories on AI, futurism, and luxury communism, among other topics.