According to Marec Lerche, head of business development at Warner Music Central Europe, virtual influencers like Noonoouri offer labels more experimentation and flexibility. They can appear in multiple places simultaneously and change their style easily. As a digital character, Noonoouri presents more opportunities than human artists. This pivot to music follows the footsteps of Lil Miquela, who started releasing tracks in 2017 and has gained millions of views on YouTube.
The rise of virtual influencers-turned-popstars may unsettle real-life musicians who are already competing for a larger share of revenues in the streaming-dominated music industry. Dr. Shara Rambarran, a musicologist, believes that the entry of virtual influencers into the music arena may create additional competition for musicians who want to showcase their own music. However, she doesn't believe that virtual influencers will completely overtake the industry, as there will always be room for everyone.
Noonoouri is not your average artist. She has been created using motion capture and advanced graphics, allowing her to dance, sing, and model virtually. Noonoouri has a substantial following on Instagram, a modeling contract, and a customizable appearance. Joerg Zuber, her creator, describes her as a "lifetime project" and explains that she was initially designed to address and highlight global issues in a lifelike, 3D form. To achieve her unique voice, Zuber's base vocals were combined with a melodic track from a professional singer, and algorithms were used to correct and match the singer's voice.
While some artists like Grimes and David Guetta embrace AI technology for music production, others like Sting and Ed Sheeran have criticized its use. Jamie Njoku-Goodwin, CEO of UK Music, believes that AI offers exciting opportunities for artists and producers but emphasizes the importance of understanding the regulatory and legal landscape to ensure that AI enables human creativity rather than erodes it.
In conclusion, virtual influencers entering the music industry as popstars is a growing trend. While concerns exist about the role of AI in music creation, virtual influencers like Noonoouri and Lil Miquela offer labels experimentation and flexibility. However, they may pose additional competition for real-life musicians. Despite this, it is unlikely that virtual influencers will completely dominate the music industry, as there will always be room for both virtual and tangible
Original news source: Can AI popstars make it in the real world? (BBC)
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: Have students read the article and then, in pairs or small groups, create a concise summary of the main points. They should focus on capturing the key information and present their summary to the class.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into groups and assign each group a virtual influencer mentioned in the article (e.g. Noonoouri, Lil Miquela). Have them discuss and gather opinions on the pros and cons of virtual influencers in the music industry. Then, have each group present their findings to the class.
– Sketch It
Instructions: Give each student a piece of paper and ask them to sketch their own virtual influencer based on the description in the article. After they finish, have them share their drawings with a partner and explain their design choices.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Select 10-15 vocabulary words from the article and write them on separate pieces of paper. Divide the class into teams and have one student from each team come to the front of the class. Show them a vocabulary word and have them draw it on the board without using any letters or numbers. The first team to correctly guess the word gets a point.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, have students discuss and make predictions about the future of virtual influencers in the music industry. They should consider factors such as technological advancements, audience preferences, and the impact on real-life musicians. After their discussion, have each group share their predictions with the class.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Virtual influencers are making their way into the industry, aiming to become popstars. These digital characters, such as and Lil Miquela, have already achieved Grammy Awards and held holographic concerts. Noonoouri, created by German designer Joerg Zuber, has recently signed a record deal with Warner Music, making her the first avatar artist for the label. While her vocals were partly created artificial intelligence (AI) tools, Warner Music states that AI played a minor role in her creation. However, concerns over the role of AI in music creation and its potential to duplicate artists' sound, style, or image are growing. According to Marec Lerche, head of business development at Warner Music Central Europe, influencers like Noonoouri offer labels more experimentation and flexibility. They can appear in multiple places simultaneously and change their easily. As a digital character, Noonoouri presents more opportunities than human artists. This pivot to music follows the footsteps of Lil Miquela, who releasing tracks in 2017 and has gained of views on YouTube. The rise of virtual influencers-turned-popstars may unsettle real-life musicians who are already competing for a larger share of revenues in the streaming-dominated music . Dr. Shara Rambarran, a musicologist, believes that the entry of virtual influencers into the music arena may create additional competition for musicians who want to showcase their own music. However, she doesn't believe that virtual influencers will completely overtake the industry, as there will always be room for everyone. Noonoouri is not your average artist. She has been created using motion capture and advanced graphics, allowing her to , sing, and model virtually. Noonoouri has a substantial following on Instagram, a modeling contract, and a customizable appearance. Joerg , her creator, describes her as a "lifetime project" and explains that she was initially designed to address and highlight issues in a lifelike, 3D form. To achieve her unique voice, Zuber's base vocals were combined with a melodic track from a professional singer, and algorithms were used to correct and match the singer's voice. While some like Grimes and David Guetta embrace AI technology for music production, others like Sting and Ed Sheeran have criticized its use. Jamie Njoku-Goodwin, CEO of UK Music, believes that AI exciting for artists and but emphasizes the importance of understanding the regulatory and legal landscape to ensure that AI enables human creativity rather than erodes it. In conclusion, virtual influencers entering the music industry as popstars is a trend. While concerns exist about the role of AI in music creation, virtual influencers like Noonoouri and Lil Miquela offer labels experimentation and flexibility. However, they may pose additional competition for real-life musicians. Despite this, it is unlikely that virtual influencers will completely dominate the music industry, as there will always be room for both virtual and tangible
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What do you think about the idea of virtual influencers becoming popstars?
2. How would you feel if a virtual influencer won a Grammy Award?
3. Do you think virtual influencers like Noonoouri and Lil Miquela have an advantage over human artists? Why or why not?
4. What is your opinion on the use of artificial intelligence in music creation?
5. How do you think the rise of virtual influencers in the music industry will impact real-life musicians?
6. Do you like the idea of virtual influencers holding holographic concerts? Why or why not?
7. How would you feel if virtual influencers started taking over the music industry and real-life musicians had less opportunity to showcase their own music?
8. What is your perspective on the role of AI in enabling human creativity in music production?
9. Have you ever listened to music created using AI technology? If so, what did you think of it?
10. How do you think virtual influencers like Noonoouri and Lil Miquela are changing the way music is consumed and experienced?
11. Do you believe that virtual influencers will have a long-lasting impact on the music industry? Why or why not?
12. What are your thoughts on the use of motion capture and advanced graphics to create virtual influencers like Noonoouri?
13. How do you think the presence of virtual influencers in the music industry will affect the revenue and success of real-life musicians?
14. Have you ever followed a virtual influencer on social media? If so, what do you find appealing about them?
15. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of virtual influencers becoming popstars?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Check your writing now with the best free AI for English writing!












