Participants 2024
About the TEAM
GANTASMO is Daniel Joaquin Trujillo's AI music project started in 2018-2019.
For this submission it includes his longtime friend Sarah Maynard to further augment the human aspect.
About the SONG
"Nature’s Tomb" is a haunting and evocative song inspired by the urgent need to address environmental destruction and animal suffering. The lyrics, co-written with AI tools, capture the anguish of animals witnessing their habitats' devastation. By incorporating sounds of natural beauty, like whale songs and the recently extinct Yangtze dolphin, Western Black Rhino, and O'o, juxtaposed with human-made destruction, such as nuclear bomb tests, gunfire, and fracking, the song creates a powerful contrast that mirrors its themes. The use of AI in lyric development, sound design, and vocal performance enhances the emotional impact, showcasing the potential of technology to amplify critical messages and inspire action.
About the HUMAN-AI PROCESS
"Nature’s Tomb" is the result of a unique collaboration between human creativity and AI technologies. The creation process began with a clear vision: to highlight environmental devastation from the perspective of animals. This thematic focus guided every step of our workflow. We started by developing the lyrics, co-writing them with the assistance of AI models like ChatGPT and Llama 3. These tools provided suggestions, refined phrasing, and helped structure the narrative to ensure it conveyed the desired emotional impact. This iterative process resulted in lyrics rich with literary devices and vivid imagery, effectively capturing the animals' plight. To enhance the sonic landscape, we collected a variety of audio samples, including sounds of nuclear bomb tests, gunfire, military tank engines, and natural vocalizations of whales and the recently extinct Yangtze dolphin, Western Black Rhino, and O'o. These samples were processed through StableAudio, an advanced AI audio processing tool, transforming them into unique instrumental sounds that aligned with the song's themes. Voice cloning technology played a crucial role in bringing the lyrics to life. This involved recording human vocal performances that captured the haunting and emotive qualities of the animals' voices. Notably, the vocals were recorded in an area inundated with smoke from wildfires and an Air Quality Index of 250. The cloned vocals were integrated with the instrumental sounds to create a cohesive and immersive listening experience. All elements were meticulously mixed and balanced using audio editing software to ensure they complemented each other and enhanced the song's impact. This collaborative process between human and AI showcases the potential of technology to amplify critical messages and inspire action through artistic expression.
Lyrics
In fields once fertile, fires now spread,
Air once pure, now toxic dread.
Skies once serene, now shrouded in grey,
Nature’s song silenced, in decay we sway.
Humans, heed our harrowing howl, havoc you've wrought,
Rivers poisoned, skies cloaked, despair’s been bought.
Crying out, we beseech, for a change to engage,
Before earth’s heartbeat fades, locked in nature’s cage.
Oceans overrun, plastic islands rise,
Coral dreams dissolve, beneath a dying guise.
Silent seas, graveyards vast, life’s breath curtailed,
Under mournful moonlight, nature's plight unveiled.
Humans, heed our harrowing howl, havoc you've wrought,
Rivers poisoned, skies cloaked, despair’s been bought.
Crying out, we beseech, for a change to engage,
Before earth’s heartbeat fades, locked in nature’s cage.
Mountains whisper woes, seas sigh in grief,
Life’s web frayed, pleading for relief.
Wind’s whisper, tree’s lament, a symphony of plea,
Nature's final call, let it be, let it be.
Glaciers weep, their tears carving paths,
Habitats crumbling, in humanity’s wrath.
Polar realms vanquished, icy echoes wane,
Existence eroded, in sorrow’s refrain.
Humans, heed our harrowing howl, havoc you've wrought,
Rivers poisoned, skies cloaked, despair’s been bought.
Crying out, we beseech, for a change to engage,
Before earth’s heartbeat stills, in nature’s final stage.
Now the silence, grim and stark,
A world once vibrant, now dark.
In nature’s tomb, we lay our plea,
For a world restored, but lost eternally.