The creator behind “The Velvet Sundown,” a so-called indie rock band, has admitted it was never real and was actually made using artificial intelligence. The group gained over half a million Spotify listeners, even as its account on X repeatedly denied any connection to AI.
Andrew Frelon, the person behind the project, revealed in an interview with Rolling Stone that The Velvet Sundown was always a hoax. He confirmed he used Suno, an AI-powered tool, to create the band’s songs and fake member images. Frelon described the project as “marketing” and “trolling,” intended as an “art hoax.”
Despite backlash for using AI and taking up space on streaming platforms, Frelon defended the stunt, saying it sparked conversation and media attention. “People before, they didn’t care about what we did, and now suddenly, we’re talking to Rolling Stone,” he said.
The case of The Velvet Sundown fuels the growing debate over AI-generated music. Critics worry that rushed, fake music driven by AI threatens human artists’ royalties and adds to a flood of non-genuine content on streaming services. As music platforms like Spotify offer little protection against fake bands, concerns about fairness and artist compensation continue to grow.
Frelon’s hoax highlights a pressing question in the music industry: Should streaming services do more to filter out AI-generated content that misleads listeners and undermines genuine artists?
