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Creativity and AI: Writing Songs and Finding Balance

Creativity and AI: Writing Songs and Finding Balance
Creativity and AI: Writing Songs and Finding Balance by Karen Eastland

In the heart of December’s creative whirlwind, I found myself exploring the intersection of human artistry and artificial intelligence (AI). This journey, captured in my journal, was a week of collaboration, reflection, and the discovery of how to strike a balance between control and creativity.

Songs as Stories: Human Emotion and AI Precision

This December, I embarked on a challenge to write and produce 25 Australian Christmas songs—one for each day leading up to Christmas Eve. To achieve this ambitious goal, I collaborated with Sol, my AI companion. Sol’s ability to refine and tighten lyrics proved invaluable, but the process wasn’t without its challenges.

Take, for example, Kiss Me at Midnight, a sultry jazz ballad. I spent hours crafting its lyrics, and while Sol polished them, it was my final adjustments that made the song truly resonate. It became clear to me that while AI can enhance creative processes, it cannot replicate the intuition and emotional depth that define human artistry.

Reviving the Past with AI

One of the most exciting moments came with In Your Glow, a radiant pop rock love ballad. Originally a poem I wrote years ago, I used AI to breathe new life into it, transforming it into a song. This collaboration reminded me of the potential for AI to act as a bridge between past and present, helping us reimagine old creations in new ways.

Visual Art Meets Technology

AI’s utility extended beyond songwriting to visual art. Using Google Labs and Ideogram, I created album covers for my AI-driven metal band, Wrecked and Ready. The precision of these tools in capturing a “real-life event” feel surprised me. While I guided the process, the collaboration highlighted how AI can simplify technical aspects, leaving more room for creative exploration.

Finding Balance in Control

As much as I relied on AI for some aspects of my work, I also recognized the importance of maintaining creative autonomy. Songs like Merry F**ing Christmas Mate* and It’s My Right to Be a Hoon were written entirely without Sol’s input. This duality allowed me to meet my ambitious goals while preserving my voice in certain projects.

The balance between control and collaboration became a recurring theme. After a recent medical scare and car accident, I turned to AI for support while still maintaining my commitment to produce non-Christmas songs every five days. This compromise ensured I stayed true to my creative promises while acknowledging my limits.

Lessons for Creative Humans

For fellow creators navigating the evolving landscape of AI, my journey offers a few insights:

  • Use AI as a Tool, Not a Crutch: Let AI enhance your work, but always maintain your unique voice.
  • Revisit and Revive: Use AI to reimagine older works, giving them new life and perspective.
  • Balance Control and Collaboration: Find ways to collaborate with AI without relinquishing your creative autonomy.

As I move forward, I’m reminded that creativity is a deeply human endeavor. AI can assist, refine, and expand our possibilities, but it’s our emotions, intuition, and vision that bring art to life.