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Spotify hitmaker Sienna Rose may not exist
Three tracks by the jazz-infused soul singer have surged into Spotify's Viral Top 50, with her ballad Into the Blue amassing over five million streams. Yet mounting evidence suggests Rose is an artificial creation.
Streaming platforms flag computer-generated music
Deezer, which has developed detection tools, told the BBC that "many of her albums and songs on the platform are detected and flagged" as AI-generated. The service's senior research scientist, Gabriel Meseguer-Brocal, explained that AI music carries a "unique signature" of mathematical errors that act like fingerprints.
These errors-inaudible to listeners but detectable through analysis-reveal which software was used to create the tracks. Deezer reports that 34% of daily uploads, roughly 50,000 songs, are now AI-generated, up from 5-6% eighteen months ago.
Red flags in Rose's digital footprint
Rose has no social media presence, no live performances, and no music videos. Her now-deactivated Instagram featured a series of eerily uniform headshots with the gauzy, synthetic lighting typical of AI image generators.
Between late September and early December, she released at least 45 tracks-an output even prolific artists like Prince would struggle to match. Listeners have also noted "AI artefacts" in her songs, such as a persistent hiss in tracks like Under the Rain and Breathe Again, a hallmark of music generated by platforms like Suno and Udio.
"The photographs of her do look a little bit unreal... And having listened to the music, is there just some of the soul in the soul missing?"
Broadcaster Gemma Cairney on BBC Radio 4
Fans and celebrities deceived by synthetic sound
Pop star Selena Gomez featured Rose's track Where Your Warmth Begins in an Instagram post about the Golden Globes, later removing it amid growing speculation about Rose's authenticity. Many listeners expressed dismay upon learning the artist might be AI-generated.
"Please tell me she's real."
Fan on Threads
"I'm disappointed cuz a couple of her songs came on and the music isn't BAD... [But] somebody said once you know then it sounds soulless and I agree."
User on Bluesky
TikTok music critic Elosi57 described the experience as "uncanny valley," while another listener on X noted that Spotify recommended Rose after playing Olivia Dean, calling her sound "similar, but more generic."
Industry grapples with AI's rapid rise
The case mirrors a recent incident in Sweden, where a chart-topping song by the artist Jacub was banned after journalists discovered the performer didn't exist. The music industry is divided: tech companies and some labels see AI as a low-cost, high-reward opportunity, while artists and fans push back against what they perceive as soulless "slop."
Rose's songs are credited to the US indie label Broke, known for viral acts like bbno$ and Ndotz. However, the label's website does not list Rose among its artists. Another label, Nostalgic Records, claims on its site that Rose is a "London-based storyteller," though the BBC has not received a response to inquiries about her identity.
Spotify defended its inclusion of AI artists, stating it does not "promote or penalise tracks created using AI tools." Meanwhile, Bandcamp has taken a harder line, banning all AI-generated music from its platform.
Artists voice concerns over AI competition
Last year, musicians including Paul McCartney, Kate Bush, and Annie Lennox released a "silent album" to protest companies training AI models on copyrighted work without permission. At the 2024 Ivor Novello Awards, Raye argued that fans would always prefer authentic music.
"I don't write because I'm trying to be the best writer. I write because I'm trying to tell my story... I'm trying to lift off some weight I've been carrying."
Pop star Raye
Kojey Radical dismissed fears of AI, joking that he couldn't even trust his washing machine to start on time. "Why is everyone trying to make me scared of the robots? I will win," he said.
Unanswered questions linger
While the evidence points to Rose being an AI creation, the possibility remains that she is a real artist operating under a pseudonym-perhaps due to contractual disputes or personal circumstances. If so, the backlash against her music as "soulless" underscores the broader challenges facing musicians in an era of increasingly convincing synthetic sound.
