Xania Monet, the AI-driven R&B act created by writer Telisha “Nikki” Jones, returned on Friday, Dec. 19th, with a pointed new single titled “Say My Name With Respect.” The track arrives at a moment when conversations about AI’s role in music have become increasingly polarized, and Monet uses the song to directly confront those who have dismissed her artistry, including Kehlani, who has been outspoken about her disapproval of AI performers. Monet’s latest release positions her as someone determined to assert her place in the genre, pushing back against claims that her work lacks authenticity.
On the record, Monet challenges critics who question the emotional depth of her music or the creative labor behind it. She sings, “Funny how you went to the media first/ Talking about my pen like you know my work/ You don’t know the nights I cried to write/ Or how many songs healed somebody’s life/ You say I ain’t real/ You say I don’t create/ But your voice shake a little every time you create because deep down you know I’m destined to shine.” Though she never explicitly names Kehlani, the message appears aimed at the “Folded” singer and others who have publicly rejected AI musicians’ legitimacy.
Monet goes further later in the song, adding: “You keep saying I’m not a real artist, right/ But somehow my songs still change somebody’s night/ People say my lyrics saved them, that’s real art.” Her response arrives after months of criticism directed at AI performers, especially after reports surfaced that Monet had secured a multimillion-dollar record deal. Back in September, Kehlani reacted strongly online, writing: “There is an AI R&B artist who just signed a multimillion-dollar deal… and the person is doing none of the work. This is so beyond out of our control. Nothing and no one on Earth will ever be able to justify AI to me. I don’t respect it.”
Leave a Reply