NotNice signs AI artiste S’riah - Artificial intelligence star immediately drops début single

Jamaican producer Ainsley 'NotNice' Morris is rewriting the playbook of dancehall with a move no one saw coming - the hitmaker has signed an artiste who isn't flesh and blood, but code and creativity.

The artiste, S'riah (pronounced Soraya), is a groundbreaking artificial intelligence (AI) performer set to shake up the industry and ignite fiery debates about the future of music.

"It's somewhat of an experimental move, also getting with the times and adjusting to the ever-changing gears of the music business," NotNice said.

S'riah made her entrance with a debut single that is anything but ordinary. Titled Save Me, the track swaps out dancehall's usual hard-hitting pulse for haunting, emotion-drenched melodies. Wrestling with themes of depression, suicidal thoughts, and a desperate search for higher power, the single reflects struggles many Jamaicans know too well.

NotNice says the inspiration partly comes from the recent passing of 26-year-old Miss Universe Jamaica contestant Tyra Spaulding, who struggled with mental health issues.

"The song was written by a human, making it a product of human input on a relatable topic," he said, clarifying that while S'riah's vocals are AI-generated, the rhythm is his own creation and the lyrics come courtesy of songwriter, Nordia Mothersille.

But don't box S'riah into one sound. NotNice makes it clear that she is designed to defy categorisation.

"I won't pigeonhole her into a specific genre--she's an artiste, and topics will vary," he said. And though her technology may be futuristic, her DNA is firmly Jamaican.

"S'riah is made in Jamaica by Jamaicans, so a 'yaadman' thing same way."

Inside the NotNice camp, the AI newcomer has already found her footing. Jah Vinci welcomes her as an addition, not a rival, while Mothersille views her almost like an alter ego, given her influence on S'riah's lyrical voice. The project, NotNice insists, isn't about replacing humans, but expanding creativity in unexpected ways.

With a full EP slated for release at the end of October, S'riah is poised to become more than a one-off experiment.