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Artist Included Launches AI-Assisted Re-Recording Platform with Boy Georges Karma Chameleon
On 15 June 2026, Los Angeles‑based Artist Included unveiled a new music‑technology venture that promises to let legacy artists re‑record classic tracks with the aid of AI‑enhanced vocal technology, while keeping the original performance at the core of the new master.
The first release is a fresh take on Culture Club’s 1983 hit Karma Chameleon, featuring the original singer Boy George. The recording, released in partnership with BMG, arrived just a day after George turned 65, a timing that the company said was intentional. According to Artist Included, George delivered the new vocal in a studio session; the AI platform supplied by Syntiant was used only to support and enhance the recording, not to replace the artist.
Founder and CEO Paul “PK” Kemsley, who also manages Boy George, said the company’s mission is to reverse the long‑term value shift that has taken place in the music industry. “For decades, artists created the soundtrack to our lives while much of the long‑term value moved away from the original creators,” Kemsley told reporters. “Artist Included was built to help reverse that dynamic.”
Co‑founder Jeremy Rosen added that the company’s model places artists at the center of creative, ethical and economic decisions. “The future of AI in music must put artists at the center – creatively, ethically, and economically,” Rosen said.
Artist Included’s board includes Robert Earl, founder of Planet Hollywood, as chairman. The company’s technology partner is Syntiant, whose vocal AI platform was co‑founded by Kurt Busch, who also sits on Artist Included’s board.
Seed investors for the venture include Mike Walsh, a founding partner of Structure Capital; Doug Raetz, Co‑President of Cresset Sports and Entertainment; and Red Light Management, one of the world’s largest independent artist‑management firms.
The launch comes amid a broader industry debate about AI, ownership and the economics of music. In February, Spotify co‑CEO Gustav Söderström described AI‑generated “derivatives” of existing music as an “untapped opportunity for artists to make money off of their existing IP,” while stressing that Spotify would build such features only with artists’ support. Last month, Spotify and Universal Music Group announced licensing agreements that allow fans to create AI‑powered covers and remixes of songs from participating artists.
Universal Music Group’s partnership with AI startup SoundLabs in 2024 gave its artists access to a vocal plug‑in that lets them create voice models from their own data while retaining ownership and creative control. In January, BeatStars acquired generative‑AI startup Lemonaide AI, positioning the marketplace as an “ethical, creator‑owned AI music ecosystem.”
Artist Included says it will pursue additional artist partnerships and releases in the coming months, targeting musicians from the 1960s through the 2000s. The company claims that its model will unlock commercial opportunities across streaming, sync, film, TV, advertising, gaming, brand partnerships, vinyl, direct‑to‑fan campaigns, foreign‑language versions, remixes and other formats.
The first release, while not a synthetic AI recording, demonstrates the company’s approach: a human performance enhanced by AI‑assisted processing. Boy George described the project as “emotional and creatively inspiring” and emphasized that the goal was to celebrate the original song and allow it to evolve for new audiences.
Artist Included’s launch adds a new player to the growing field of AI‑enabled music production, offering an artist‑first framework that seeks to balance technological innovation with ownership and ethical considerations. The company’s next steps remain to be announced, but its early partnership with a high‑profile artist and major label partner positions it as a notable development in the ongoing conversation about AI’s role in the music industry.
The first release is a fresh take on Culture Club’s 1983 hit Karma Chameleon, featuring the original singer Boy George. The recording, released in partnership with BMG, arrived just a day after George turned 65, a timing that the company said was intentional. According to Artist Included, George delivered the new vocal in a studio session; the AI platform supplied by Syntiant was used only to support and enhance the recording, not to replace the artist.
Founder and CEO Paul “PK” Kemsley, who also manages Boy George, said the company’s mission is to reverse the long‑term value shift that has taken place in the music industry. “For decades, artists created the soundtrack to our lives while much of the long‑term value moved away from the original creators,” Kemsley told reporters. “Artist Included was built to help reverse that dynamic.”
Co‑founder Jeremy Rosen added that the company’s model places artists at the center of creative, ethical and economic decisions. “The future of AI in music must put artists at the center – creatively, ethically, and economically,” Rosen said.
Artist Included’s board includes Robert Earl, founder of Planet Hollywood, as chairman. The company’s technology partner is Syntiant, whose vocal AI platform was co‑founded by Kurt Busch, who also sits on Artist Included’s board.
Seed investors for the venture include Mike Walsh, a founding partner of Structure Capital; Doug Raetz, Co‑President of Cresset Sports and Entertainment; and Red Light Management, one of the world’s largest independent artist‑management firms.
The launch comes amid a broader industry debate about AI, ownership and the economics of music. In February, Spotify co‑CEO Gustav Söderström described AI‑generated “derivatives” of existing music as an “untapped opportunity for artists to make money off of their existing IP,” while stressing that Spotify would build such features only with artists’ support. Last month, Spotify and Universal Music Group announced licensing agreements that allow fans to create AI‑powered covers and remixes of songs from participating artists.
Universal Music Group’s partnership with AI startup SoundLabs in 2024 gave its artists access to a vocal plug‑in that lets them create voice models from their own data while retaining ownership and creative control. In January, BeatStars acquired generative‑AI startup Lemonaide AI, positioning the marketplace as an “ethical, creator‑owned AI music ecosystem.”
Artist Included says it will pursue additional artist partnerships and releases in the coming months, targeting musicians from the 1960s through the 2000s. The company claims that its model will unlock commercial opportunities across streaming, sync, film, TV, advertising, gaming, brand partnerships, vinyl, direct‑to‑fan campaigns, foreign‑language versions, remixes and other formats.
The first release, while not a synthetic AI recording, demonstrates the company’s approach: a human performance enhanced by AI‑assisted processing. Boy George described the project as “emotional and creatively inspiring” and emphasized that the goal was to celebrate the original song and allow it to evolve for new audiences.
Artist Included’s launch adds a new player to the growing field of AI‑enabled music production, offering an artist‑first framework that seeks to balance technological innovation with ownership and ethical considerations. The company’s next steps remain to be announced, but its early partnership with a high‑profile artist and major label partner positions it as a notable development in the ongoing conversation about AI’s role in the music industry.
