The beloved folk YouTuber experiments with artificial intelligence music production—then politely backs away.
If you’ve ever listened to Frank Watkinson sing, you know his songs don’t need digital dressing. They just need a quiet room, an acoustic guitar, and Frank’s weathered voice telling you the truth. But this week, just ahead of his 72nd birthday on June 26, the British folk artist known for his heartaching originals and tender covers did something surprising: he experimented with AI. And hip-hop.
Yes, you read that right.
In a video titled simply "Writing a song?", Frank introduces a new original idea—and a bit of a musical detour. After struggling to find the right feel for the song "Stay", he decided to test out artificial intelligence, feeding his lyrics into an AI tool and asking it to turn the piece into a hip-hop track.
“I was just playing with the dreaded AI,” he admits on camera with a chuckle, pausing dramatically before repeating the acronym as if saying Voldemort's name. “A lot of people think I'm AI… I'm a northern lad, really.”
He’s quick to reassure fans: “In case you are concerned, I won’t be going down that road—it isn’t me.”
But curious as ever, Frank didn’t want to leave his viewers hanging. After some light self-deprecation and a warm goodbye (“maybe I’ll put a picture of my dog walking while the hip-hop plays”), he lets the AI-generated version roll. It’s weird. It’s charming. It’s definitely not Frank. But in its own oddball way, it feels like a moment worth preserving.
And like everything Frank does, it’s shared without ego—just a gentle “make of it what you wish,” followed by one last smile and: “I don’t think I’ll be doing that anymore.”
Final Thoughts:
At all most 72, Frank Watkinson remains a humble experimenter, a troubadour willing to try something new even if it’s just to confirm that his old way suits him best. And maybe that’s the real message behind "Stay": that while the world spins toward algorithms and automation, the human touch in music is what stays with us.
Happy early birthday, Frank. Stay exactly who you are.
No comments:
Post a Comment