Armando Heredia’s If We Were A Band is a fascinating intersection of human creativity and artificial intelligence, blending traditional songwriting with AI-generated vocal and instrumental performances. The project, as detailed on his website, is a deliberate exploration of AI’s role in music—not as a replacement for human artistry, but as a tool for realizing it in new ways.
Human Craftsmanship in Lyrics, AI in Execution
What makes If We Were A Band particularly intriguing is Heredia’s insistence on writing all lyrics himself, adhering to traditional songwriting structures. The words are personal, crafted with intentionality—no generative AI was used in their creation. This contrasts sharply with the music itself, where AI handles vocal synthesis and instrumental arrangements. The result is a hybrid form: a human soul expressed through machine interpretation.
Heredia’s approach raises interesting questions about authorship and authenticity in AI-assisted art. By retaining control over the lyrics—the narrative and emotional core of the songs—he ensures that the project remains rooted in human experience. The AI, in this case, functions as a collaborator, translating his words into a performative medium he might not have otherwise accessed.
The Sound of If We Were A Band
Listening to the Apple Music tracks, one notices the uncanny yet polished quality of the AI-generated vocals. The delivery is smooth, almost eerily human, yet with subtle digital artifacts that remind the listener of its synthetic nature. The instrumentation varies across tracks, from dreamy indie-pop to more subdued, introspective arrangements—all shaped by AI based on Heredia’s creative direction.
This method opens up possibilities for artists who may not have the means to hire session musicians or vocalists but still want to produce fully realized songs. It also challenges traditional notions of performance: if the vocals are AI-generated, does that make Heredia the “singer,” or is he more of a composer-director, guiding an artificial performer?
A Thought Experiment in the Age of AI Music
Heredia describes the project as a way to explore what it would be like if he had a band, and in doing so, he taps into a broader conversation about AI’s role in democratizing music production. While some may argue that AI-generated music lacks the raw authenticity of human performance, If We Were A Band presents a counterpoint: what if AI is simply another instrument, one that allows creators to expand their vision beyond technical or logistical limitations?
Ultimately, If We Were A Band is more than a novelty—it’s a statement on the evolving relationship between artist and machine. Heredia’s work suggests that AI need not erase human creativity but can instead amplify it, provided the artist retains control over the core creative decisions. As AI tools become more sophisticated, projects like this will likely become more common, reshaping how we think about music, authorship, and artistry itself.
For now, If We Were A Band stands as a compelling experiment—one that invites listeners to ponder where the line between human and machine lies, and whether that line even matters if the result is meaningful art.