Too many artists are taken from us too soon - and eerily - many of them are taken from us at the age of 27 - Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, and Amy Winehouse- just to name a few.  Many of these artists struggled with addiction, depression, and other mental health issues.  

 

Last month - the Toronto organization Over The Bridge has used AI software to write "new" songs by many of these artists to raise awareness for the importance of mental health support.

 

Sean O’Connor, a member of the board of directors for Over The Bridge told Rolling Stone:

 

“What if all these musicians that we love had mental health support?  Somehow in the music industry, [depression] is normalized and romanticized … Their music is seen as authentic suffering.”

 

The project - ‘Drowned In The Sun – Lost Tapes Of The 27 Club’  - used Google’s AI program Magenta to write the music and another AI program create the lyrics.  The  programs analyzed up to 30 songs by each artist to guess what their “new” compositions would sound like.  

 

 

The simulated Nirvana track - ‘Drowned In The Sun’ features Eric Hogan, singer for Nevermind: The Ultimate Tribute To Nirvana. 

 

 

 

 The project take on the somber side of Amy Winehouse's catalog with 'Man I Know'

 

 

 

The simulated Jimi Hendrix track - 'You're Gonna Kill Me' - is identifiable from the opening guitar lick 

 

Can you tell the difference between artificial intelligence and the real thing?

 

If you're experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, you can reach the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or over an online chat.