According to nme.com some fans of Kurt Cobain have hared their reactions to a new AI-generated clip of Cobain singing the Hole‘s tune “Celebrity Skin.” The original track was released in 1998 by Holes, which was founded by Cobain‘s former wife, Courtney Love and guitarist Eric Erlandson.
Now, a clip has emerged online with Cobain’s vocals on the track, which has prompted mixed reactions from fans. Youtube user FaustoX wrote on the YouTube description.“This version was made based on a human interpretation, but the voice was synthesized by AI. Many more to come.”
FaustoX adds: “Whoever is offended by this version, I really hope you understand that this is not a part of Kurt’s or Courtney’s official work. It has no other intention than to be an experiment, just like a more elaborate mashup, and they have no hidden motives.”
In the comment section a Youtube user wrote, ““It’s only the beginning of AI era, but this is already creepy and crazy at the same time. I don’t know what to think right now.”
A third comment described the cover as “frightening”, adding that the vocal inflections “are haunting at many points. To be honest I kinda wanna sob”.
Another comment read.“As a 37 year old lifelong Nirvana obsessive I cannot believe how close this is. Better than the original. Insane.”
Others, however, were more sceptical. “I’m not sure if I love this or hate it,” one listener said.
“Call it what you want, but this is copyright infringement, totally distasteful, poorly executed, and subtextual misogyny that panders to bigoted whisperings that Kurt wrote [Courtney Love Cobain’s] hits. Let them both rest,” one person wrote on Twitter.
Call it what you want, but this is copyright infringement, totally distasteful, poorly executed, and subtextual misogyny that panders to bigoted whisperings that Kurt wrote @courtney‘s hits. Let them both rest.https://t.co/iLirlRPNAI
— James Draven (@JamesDraven) May 1, 2023
Love recently remembered her late husband, who died by suicide on April 5, 1994, on the 29 anniversary of his death.