It's super simple to set up and use.

- Go to the App store and search "Welove.radio" (the app is free!)

- Download the app to your computer and sign up (again, it's free!)

- At the BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN IS THE EXPLORE TAB, just start typing "Flair" into the search bar, which will pull up the icon.

- Click on the icon, to go to our app, then just click the banner at the bottom of the screen to see the full screen experience. 

Keep in mind, we plan to build an even more robust app version soon, but for now, this is a great way to check out the music in a far more engaging way.

Thanks for supporting us at FLAIR AI RADIO.

“No one can’t convince me; we aren’t gluttons for our doom.” The Indigo Girls.

(read the full article on Substack)

When it comes to AI, there are many that believe that AI will take us over as they deem us irrelevant. From The Terminator to The Matrix, this concept of human irrelevance overtakes our airwaves, and our psyches.

But, as we have run the AI Music Radio Station, FLAIR AI Radio, we’ve discovered a new way of processing this. AI is not merely a tool we use to create imagery, video, text and music; it’s a learning machine. And what it learns, it learns from our input. In other words, its decisions, both present and future, will come from what we input into it. Not merely in text, but in imagery, motion, and of course, song.

Nowhere is the more prevalent than in the Deep Dive AI Podcasts of NotebookLM from Google. Through this platform, and its Deep Dive Podcast feature, your inputted content is not merely regurgitated, it is processed, discussed, analyzed, and finally presented back with its own commentary, and, dare I say it, “learning.”

You can see that in this example Deep Dive Podcast, based on a book I wrote, but was one of the only ones I didn’t publish, called The Blueprint. Throughout the podcast it makes claims, like “this is like taking the Red Pill,” or “this is a new way of seeing the world.” Which was the very goal of the writing in the book in the first place, and its concepts have dominated my thoughts and actions for over two decades. But as you can see, the podcasters wrestle with the content, they don’t just parrot it.  (read the full article on Substack)

While we strive at Flair AI Radio to not be any sort of moral police or personal arbitrators of an ideology or worldview, we have discovered a trend in a lot of the music presented: Despair and Nihilism. There are three ways to look at this: The view of the shallow minded, the view of the empathetic, and the view of the strategic.

Let’s start with the view of the shallow minded. For many, that see the world as little more than black and white, good or bad, right or wrong. They might attack people for writing songs like this, especially in certain genres. It is funny to recognize that the songs my parents deemed as “evil” in my childhood, are the theme songs to most insurance company’s television commercials today.

Life is never black and white, and there is always a story behind a lyric or song. To dismiss this music or embargo it from being played would be shallow and short-sided. Despair and malaise are a part of our lives at times, and sometimes processing it is important.

Which ties into the view of the empathetic. We need to understand each person’s story. We shouldn’t judge by lyric, or by someone’s current actions, we should recognize what has happened in their lives to lead to that lyric or that action. For some, it’s just a thought that needed to get out. For others, it is a cry for community, hope, or relief.

As the purveyors of this station, you all aren’t songs to be played, you are people to be celebrated. That has always been the goal here, because behind every song there is a story, and behind ever story is the story creator.

Which is why I presented these first two viewpoints before getting to the last one: the view of the strategic. What I am about to say has nothing to do with morality, nor our empathy for people and their stories.

Like I said before, AI is a learning machine. It is not just finishing your lyrics in ChatGPT, or creating your song in Suno or Udio, it is processing your words and using them in future decision making.

The strategic question to ask is, what is it teaching itself about us as humans? Is it marveling at the wonder of humanity, or is learning that Nihilism is what we feel and embrace? And what would AI do with that information? Let’s go back to Indigo Girls lyric once again, written almost thirty years ago:

“No one can’t convince me; we aren’t gluttons for our doom.”

In other words, are we unwittingly writing our own demise, not because of AI, but because of US? That is the question to ask, not to judge on morality, or to respond in empathy (though it is important), but what is my contribution to the machine?

Will this change how you write? That is not for us to determine or regulate. We will still curate based on quality of song, not ideology of lyric. It is merely to present you with a strategic insight, that we’ve discovered as we have listened to and enjoyed your music.

It takes far more effort, but by planning out your song through imagery and not just words, you often create a far more robust and memorable song. Here are some steps to help you move from the start of your theme to final AI music and vocals.

1. Plan out your message and define your audience – first.

Start with a free-association exercise, asking yourself, “what do I want to communicate with my next song?” Write down whatever comes to mind. Just brainstorm and keep writing until you land on a theme. Sometimes the theme will come out of circumstances, a conversation had with a friend, an idea that pops in your head, or even from a lyric to another song or line from a movie.

Keep a journal and write down those themes until you land on the final idea. Once you have the idea, picture your audience. You don’t just have listeners; you have a captive audience that can learn from you. Who are they, what do they like, what do they watch or read, what would they consider “fun or interesting?”

Your visual imagery may just manifest out of their interests. The more connected your theme’s imagery is to your audience, the more the song may resonate with your listenership.

2. Once you have your theme, imagine all the ways you can present it.

Maybe your song is about new love, what imagery or story reflects that theme? Don’t just tell us about a new love, show it. Last month, I wrote a song about new love called “Shiny,” which was my chosen imagery for “showing” the brightness of a new relationship. But the last line of the chorus adds that extra metaphorical insight, ending in:

“You make life shiny… just don’t blind me.”

Is she going to experience blindness from dating this man? Of course not. The metaphor of blindness, tied to the metaphor of shiny, warns that maybe he’ll be too good to be true.

This same concept is used beautifully in Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well”:

“You kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath.”

The contrast between the two metaphors paints a vivid picture of uneven love and trust without outright stating it.

Maybe your song is about a love that’s lost? Daniel Dobson wrote a song here called, “Recall My Love.” The song is not just “speaking” about a lost love, but “pictured” as a storybook villain that has lost his princess, recalling his love for her after she is rescued by the prince. Did you catch that in the lyrics as you’ve listened?

“Way overgrown is the yellow brick road
The tin man is rusted through
Does this princess who left with the prince
Still miss my tower view?”

Oh man! How pretty and poetic is that metaphor!!!? We can completely imagine Sleeping Beauty or Rapunzel, or Dorothy and his love for her. There is so much poetic sadness there, can you feel it?

This technique is echoed in Adele’s “Someone Like You”:

“Nevermind, I’ll find someone like you.”

Here, the simple yet powerful use of a subtle metaphor—accepting loss but holding onto echoes of love—resonates deeply.

Don’t tell us about lost love, new love, fear, doubt, happiness… show it! Create a scene or story and then lay out that story in lyrical detail.

3. When writing the lyrics, use metaphors instead of lines, and descriptive verbs instead of verbs that just fill space.

Individual lines of a song should describe and visualize, not tell and dictate. Ask yourself when you write every line, can I show this better than say it? In the song, “Tall Glass of Water,” a metaphor about a handsome player, the final line to the chorus is:

“You may be a tall glass of water, but I ain’t that thirsty!”

The song could have said, and Suno could have generated a decent vocal, to: “You may be a player, but I don’t want you.” Do you see the difference? Suno can create great music to dull lyrics, that may get hummed but rarely memorized and studied. Try to leave mental pictures in the minds of your listeners.

Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” showcases this beautifully:

“When your legs don’t work
like they used to before
And I can’t sweep you off of your feet.”

The imagery of aging and vulnerability creates a tender, emotional connection that would be lost if written plainly.

And finally, use more descriptive and visual verbs when writing lines of lyrics. Push yourself beyond the common verb, and ask yourself can I use a verb choice that shows more of a story than talks about my theme? In the song on this station called “Get Acquainted,” by LG Dash APT, the words “Get Acquainted” are far more unique and descriptive than, “Let’s hook up!”

In the song “Beautiful Flaws,” by Syndi, note the verbs:

“Shattered pieces rearranging,
Shaping pictures of the past.”

This is “beautiful” in both lyrical imagery and alliteration with the two “S” words. This took work, and it pays off by becoming one of our favorite songs for January!

Crafting memorable, story-driven and conceptual songs out of your important themes and concepts takes work, but it pays off in more ways than you can imagine.

It was Aristotle that wrote, “Metaphor is the sign of genius.” Keep crafting those lyrics until they drip with lyrical sweetness! (see what I did there).

We can’t wait to see your genius unfold in the next songs you submit!

About a month ago, I had a friend coming over to learn Suno in detail. To add some fresh lyrics to the session, I decided to venture over to Chat GPT to create a few fast new song lyrics I could then generate in Suno.

The lyrics that Chat GPT were far better than what I had imagined. This was unusual, because I have written about how Generic the “look” of Chat GPT writing is, in an article of Medium) and shared about it here: https://open.substack.com/pub/rethinkerpub/p/ai-might-be-a-stale-non-fiction-writer

Still, as Paul Saxberg said in the Suno Music Creators Facebook Group, most of the time you can tell which songs were created in AI. Suno does a great job with the music and vocal. But it often can only go as far as the lyrics it’s presented.

For this article, I will share how you can USE AI, but still use YOUR OWN creativity to generate something so much more powerful and, well, human, than AI is capable of producing. How to use AI to  accent your creativity and not rely on AI to do all the heavily lifting.

The “Story” in detail

Last week, I had a song hook idea for a story that I knew would be relevant for many women listening: the “Ma’am” conversation and debate. I know dozens of women who bristle when a grocery store clerk refers to them as “Ma’am” as they leave the store. So, I just needed to create a song around the hook concept. Until a month ago, I would handwritten the entire song. This time, I decided to prompt Chat GPT with the concept, in some exacting detail.

PRO TIP: the amount of detail is important, the more writing and direction you provide, the better the final generation will be… at least to start.

I’m going to show you the lines generated by AI and the final song, so you can observe how you can change your AI lyrics to turn them from meh to magical!

 Starting with THE VERSE’S FIRST LINE, the word “JUST” was, well “just” filler! There was no need for the line, and it was only going to bog Suno down, so it was ejected.

 “Two sreaming kids” was far too negative and didn’t match to the overall story. What if the listener didn’t have two kids? Would it resonate with the largest audience. By changing the line to “The Day’s worth of trouble…”, anyone could relate.

 “Feeling invisible in Aisle two…”? A little boring. Switching cereal to “bagels plain” allowed me to change the next line to “Feeling UNSEEN in the express lane.” How many people feel invisible when they are out in public? This simple changed produced a far better and relevant visual in the mind of the listener.

PRO TIP: ALWAYS be thinking about you audience when you are editing your AI music. Is every word adding to the story you want to tell.

 This whole section needed updating. It was generic and boring. “Him?” – no connection. “Sent me on my way” – blah.

 So, it was completely overhauled.

First, think about the visual of the word I made up: “Frat-brat” – can you see him? Can you picture his look?

“Without much of a glance” – how many women get this reaction when they are at the counter. We all want to be seen.

“Changed all my plans” – Sets the stage for the entire rest of the song. What plans? We find out when you listen to the song!

PRO TIP: see how the song lines are broken up? When you listen to the song, you’ll see that Suno perfectly aligned to the story. Suno is SMART, it doesn’t just create vocals and music, it learns the theme and story “aura” of your song and will create accordingly if you format your lines to amplify the story.

I hope this has given you some great strategies, on how to USE AI and not RELY on it.

We know that this will further your chances of being added to the Flair AI Radio online music station. We are starting to create amazing relationships with many of you, so please share your own story as we communicate.

Here’s to your amazing music!

Final PRO TIP: 

By changing the story from “I” to “You” and “We,” you add more relational connection with your audience, and turn it from a song, into an inspiring mantra. Note the formatting changes again.

How can musicians, songwriters, and lyricists ensure their tracks leave a lasting impression? Here are five actionable tips to craft unforgettable intros that will captivate your audience and keep them engaged. We've added some mainstream examples AND even some of the music features on our station so you can hear examples.

1. Start with a Hook

The hook isn’t just for the chorus. Incorporate an instrumental, vocal, or rhythmic hook right at the beginning of your song. This could be a catchy guitar riff, a compelling drumbeat, or a unique vocal line. The goal is to create an element that immediately grabs the listener’s attention and sticks in their mind. Think of songs like The Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" or Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy" — both waste no time introducing unforgettable hooks.

Look on our homepage for “Her Echo is All That’s Left” (in Top Pop Music Songs) and you’ll hear a distinct humming intro that immediately draws in the listener to want to engage further.

2. Create Instant Emotional Resonance

Listeners connect deeply to songs that evoke emotion. Whether it’s joy, sadness, nostalgia, or excitement, tap into feelings early on. Use evocative lyrics, powerful vocals, or dynamic instrumentals to set the mood. Adele’s "Hello" captures heartbreak from the very first note, making it impossible for listeners to turn away. Craft your opening so that it immediately invites the audience into your song’s emotional journey.

On our homepage, check out “Love Language” (in Top Country Songs) for a beautiful emotional ballad that hooks you from the very beginning.

3. Make the Production Shine

High-quality production can elevate a song from good to unforgettable. Pay close attention to the mix and arrangement of your intro. Use dynamic layering and sonic textures to create intrigue. A well-produced intro can subtly hint at what’s to come while standing strong on its own. Songs like Daft Punk’s "Get Lucky" showcase how polished, engaging production can hook listeners instantly.

The song “Boo Hoo,” in our Top Pop Music Song section, has you immediately energized, even though the vocals don’t start till over the first 30 seconds of the song!

4. Surprise the Listener

Predictability causes listeners to tune out. Introduce an unexpected element in the opening seconds. This could be an unusual chord progression, a striking vocal effect, or an unconventional rhythm. Surprises keep listeners curious about what will happen next. For example, Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” breaks conventions from the start, leaving listeners eager to follow its unpredictable journey.

The song, “Eternal Sparks,” (in the Top BLAIR AI Songs section) starts with monotone stochastic vocal, that shocks the system due to its unique, and seemingly simplistic, sound structure.

5. Establish a Clear Identity

The first 30 seconds should reflect your song’s essence. Whether it’s a driving beat, a soulful melody, or a haunting atmosphere, make sure the intro sets the tone. This helps listeners quickly understand your musical style and prepares them for what’s to come. Iconic tracks like Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” establish their identity within moments, ensuring the audience is hooked.

The Song “The Missing Gringos” in the Top Pop Music Songs section, features a unique ukelele vibe, adding depth and uniqueness to the entire song.  

In Conclusion

When it comes to AI song production, the first 30 seconds are a golden opportunity to capture your listener’s attention and make a lasting impression. They are also often the standard by which we choose to curate songs submitted to Flair AI Radio. If you don’t have us in the first 30 seconds, you may not have the next 30 seconds to get there.

By starting with a hook, evoking emotion, focusing on production, surprising your audience, and establishing a clear identity, you can craft that first 30 seconds to really stand out. In today’s competitive music landscape, those precious seconds could be the key to turning your track into a hit. So, make them count and keep submitting great music to Flair AI Radio!

Below are the top five song structure formats in popular in country music, that can help you craft the right “framing” around your song, with a brief explanation of when to use them and some examples of popular songs that follow these formats.

If you ask us, we’ll add some of our Flair AI Radio songs into the “structure” section, so you can see how our music measures up.

Structure 1. Verse > Chorus > Verse > Chorus > Bridge > Chorus

This is the most common structure in popular and country music. The song alternates between storytelling in the verses and the emotional, hook-laden chorus. After the second chorus, a bridge adds variation, often introducing new melodies or lyrical perspectives. This structure balances familiarity with a dynamic flow, making it highly engaging for listeners.

Hit Songs in This Structure:

"Shallow" - Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper

"The Dance" - Garth Brooks

"Life Is a Highway" - Tom Cochrane (covered by Rascal Flatts)

"Someone Like You" - Adele

"Thinking Out Loud" - Ed Sheeran

Structure 2. Verse > Pre-Chorus > Chorus > Verse > Pre-Chorus > Chorus > Bridge > Chorus

The addition of a pre-chorus creates a transitional build-up to the chorus, heightening anticipation and emotional impact. This structure is perfect for songs aiming to create a memorable crescendo. It’s commonly used in country-pop crossovers where emotional payoff in the chorus is key.

Hit Songs in This Structure:

"Before He Cheats" - Carrie Underwood

"You Belong With Me" - Taylor Swift

"Need You Now" - Lady A

"Rolling in the Deep" - Adele

"Uptown Funk" - Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars

Structure 3. Verse > Verse > Chorus > Verse > Chorus > Outro

This structure emphasizes storytelling in the verses, leading to a chorus that ties everything together. The absence of a bridge keeps the focus on the main narrative, often delivering a poignant emotional punch. It works well for traditional country music and ballads.

Hit Songs in This Structure:

"Jolene" - Dolly Parton

"Whiskey Lullaby" - Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss

"Take Me Home, Country Roads" - John Denver

"Wonderwall" - Oasis

"Let It Be" - The Beatles

Structure 4. Chorus > Verse > Chorus > Verse > Bridge > Chorus

Starting with the chorus grabs attention immediately, making the hook the focal point. This structure works well for songs with an especially strong chorus that the artist wants to highlight early and often.

Hit Songs in This Structure:

"Achy Breaky Heart" - Billy Ray Cyrus

"Friends in Low Places" - Garth Brooks

"Honey Bee" - Blake Shelton

"All You Need Is Love" - The Beatles

"Can’t Stop the Feeling!" - Justin Timberlake

Structure 5. Verse > Chorus > Verse > Chorus > Instrumental > Chorus

This format is a classic, often used in more upbeat or celebratory songs. The instrumental section allows for musical expression, giving the song a moment to breathe before returning to the chorus for a rousing finish.

Hit Songs in This Structure:

"Wagon Wheel" - Old Crow Medicine Show (and Darius Rucker’s version)

"I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash

"Chicken Fried" - Zac Brown Band

"Sweet Child O’ Mine" - Guns N’ Roses

"Shape of You" - Ed Sheeran

IN CONCLUSION:

We hope these song structures will help you determine what format will work best for your next song. Not every song needs to follow these song structures, but knowing the top standards will allow you to break them in the future. When you are ready, be Quentin Trarantino; but he first engulfed himself in the structures of scriptwriting to learn how to fracture them.  

We look forward to your submissions and seeing what you create with this information!

After analyzing countless submissions, we’ve noticed 7 common mistakes that AI Song Generators tend fall into. So here they are, and the corresponding tips to craft better, more harmonious AI-powered tracks.

1. Too Many Words Per Line
This is by far the most frequent mistake we see. While AI tools can produce beautifully descriptive lyrics, song creators often cram too many words into a single line. The result? The rhythm becomes unnatural, the melody feels forced, and the song sounds cluttered.

To fix this, just simplify. Cut excess words, break lines into shorter phrases; basically allow room for your music to breathe. A good song needs a great balance between lyrical content and melody.

2. Ignoring Song Structure
AI-generated lyrics can sometimes lack clear structure. A great song typically follows a clear format like verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus. Without this flow, songs can feel chaotic or repetitive. You can break the mold (and we do), but think like Quentin Tarantino.

If you organize your AI-generated text into a familiar structure you are more likely to keep your listeners engaged.

3. Overcomplicated Rhyming
AI tools often favor complex or forced rhymes that sound unnatural when sung, even by an AI bot. While rhymes add appeal, overcomplicating them can break the flow of the melody.

Stick to natural, simple rhymes that align with the tone and pace of the music. Go over each line and see what you might be able to adjust.

4. Lack of Repetition
This is another big one. AI-generated lyrics sometimes lack repetition, a critical element in most hit songs. Choruses and hooks rely on repetition to be memorable.

When crafting your song, identify the most impactful lines and repeat them strategically to create catchiness. At least two choruses, maybe three. You can change the lines in the chorus, but keep the overall “theme” consistent.

5. Ignoring Musical Phrasing
Lyrics need to fit naturally into the musical phrasing. Song creators often overlook syllable counts and rhythm, which results in lyrics that don’t sync with the beat.

Test lyrics with the melody and adjust to make sure phrases flow seamlessly. If you speak them out loud, and it sounds akward, chances are the final song will too.

6. Overloading Your Song with Complex Themes
While AI can generate profound or intricate themes, songs resonate most when they have clear, relatable ideas. Simplicity often connects better with listeners.

Focus on one central theme and build your lyrics around that theme, or have a single theme per verse. Again, be Tarantino in thought, only break the structure when you have full grasp of it.

7. No Emotional Connection
AI-generated lyrics can sometimes feel sterile or mechanical. So it helps to rewrite and umanize the song. Add emotional depth by editing for storytelling, imagery, and connection.

The best songs evoke feeling and strong emotions, and your AI-generated track should be no different. Your “vocalist” will have more emotional impact when it can “hear” the emotion of your lyrics.

Final Thoughts
AI is a powerful songwriting tool, but it’s creators still need to refine and elevate the output. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can craft AI-generated songs that not only sound great but also resonate deeply with listeners. At Flair AI Radio, we’re here to help you bridge the gap between AI creativity and hit-worthy music.

1. Say More With Less
One of the most effective lyrical strategies is keeping it simple. Long, wordy lines can overwhelm listeners and make it hard for them to connect with your song. A concise lyric often lands harder because it gets straight to the emotional core. It’s about distilling the message—leaving just enough space for the listener to fill in their own experiences and feelings.

Sam Smith’s "Stay With Me" nails this approach:

"Guess it's true, I'm not good at a one-night stand." It’s brief, honest, and loaded with vulnerability. A single line like this says everything it needs to.

2. Use Conversational Lyrics
Listeners connect deeply with lyrics that feel like everyday speech. Think of them as a dialogue or a heartfelt confession—words you might say to a friend or whisper to yourself. Conversational lyrics are approachable, relatable, and often universal. They make the song feel like it’s speaking to you.

Adele’s "Someone Like You" is a perfect example:

"Never mind, I’ll find someone like you." There’s no overthinking here—it’s raw and real, like something you might say in a quiet moment of heartbreak.

3. Create a Memorable Hook
The hook is your song’s centerpiece—the part that sticks in listeners’ minds. A great hook is repetitive without being boring, and it should align perfectly with your melody. Hooks often rely on rhythm, rhyme, and phrasing to make an impact.

Beyonce’s "Single Ladies" delivers an instantly iconic hook:

"If you liked it, then you shoulda put a ring on it." It’s catchy, rhythmic, and fun. Once you hear it, you can’t un-hear it.

4. Paint Vivid Pictures
Great lyrics go beyond telling you how someone feels—they show you. Vivid imagery brings emotions to life, helping listeners see the song like a scene from a movie. When lyrics are rich with visual detail, they leave a lasting impression.

Taylor Swift’s "All Too Well" paints an unforgettable image:

"Dancing 'round the kitchen in the refrigerator light." It’s a small, ordinary moment, but it feels so real—and that’s what makes it powerful.

5. Tell a Story
Humans are wired to love stories, and storytelling in songs keeps listeners hooked from start to finish. A great narrative lyric introduces a character, builds conflict, and gives resolution—all within a few minutes. It’s like a mini-movie with words and melody.

Eminem’s "Stan" is storytelling at its finest:

"Dear Slim, I wrote you but you still ain't callin'." The song unfolds as a dramatic, tragic tale, keeping you gripped until the end.

6. Use Contrast for Impact
Lyrical contrast can mean pairing opposites—light and dark, love and pain, beauty and chaos—to create tension or surprise. Contrast adds layers to your message, making the listener think or feel something deeper.

Hozier’s "Take Me to Church" brilliantly combines the sacred with the profane:

"I’ll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies." The striking contrast demands your attention.

7. Focus on One Emotion
Too many ideas can dilute a song’s impact. Instead, zero in on one dominant emotion—whether it’s heartbreak, hope, anger, or nostalgia. A focused emotional message makes the song more relatable and memorable.

Lorde’s "Royals" captures a singular feeling of alienation:

"We don’t care, we’re driving Cadillacs in our dreams." By sticking to one theme, the song creates a clear, lasting message.

8. Lead with a Killer Opening Line
The first line of a song sets the tone and grabs attention. A killer opening line makes listeners lean in—it can be intriguing, bold, or immediately relatable.

OutKast’s "Hey Ya!" opens with effortless charm:

"My baby don’t mess around." You’re hooked instantly.

9. Add Emotional Vulnerability
Emotion is the soul of every great lyric. Being vulnerable in your lyrics makes them resonate because listeners see their own struggles, hopes, and dreams reflected in the song.

Billie Eilish’s "Ocean Eyes" drips with delicate emotion:

"I've been walking through a world gone blind." The quiet vulnerability makes it unforgettable.

10. End Strong
A great ending can turn a good song into a great one. Whether it’s hopeful, reflective, or haunting, the final lines should leave listeners with something to remember.

Coldplay’s "Fix You" ends on an uplifting, timeless note:

"Lights will guide you home / And ignite your bones." The perfect close to a powerful song.

And with that, we hope we ended strong for you too. If are looking for help with crafting that perfect song, take a look at: https://flairsoundscapes.com - where we can certainly help and if you mentioned you are coming from the radio station, you'll get a 25% discount on your song!

The backlash from those “digital and traditional artists” in the group was fast and furious. “Oh, then you’re a cheat and a thief, I guess,” was one comment. “So you think that ‘typing’ makes you an artist, huh?!” came another retort. Few of them took the time to learn that I am an artist/designer of 33 years, having started in the days of paste-up and stat cameras; I have made millions developing traditional and digital art, and I have been the CEO of a world-recognized branding and design agency of over 20 years.

To these misguided and misinformed creative-craft workers, weak-kneed at how the rise in AI tech would steal their jobs, I was simply a “hack.”

Most of them weren’t even around to recognize the last time this happened.

Many “traditional” digital artists were attacked by “traditional” painters 30+ years ago, as the personal computer arose and new digital artistic offerings like Aldus Freehand and Adobe Illustrator 88 landed on the scene to the fear and speculation of the “real” art world. These “digital” artists now claim that AI isn’t “real art.” It’s ironic.

The question to ask ourselves today is not “Is AI ‘real’ art,” but “Is the keyboard becoming the new paintbrush?”

Art requires tools to complete. The tools utilized to create art have accelerated as technology advanced. From rocks scratched on stone tablets to fingers smearing thick, indelible liquids onto walls in caves, to paint brushes spread on cowhides, to airbrushes blown on canvases, t-shirts, and the sides of vans, to the mouse gliding effortlessly across our digital screens… is the next technological progression, the Keyboard? Will words and the specific sequencing of those words create imagery generating a new epochal transcendence in art?

It very well could, for the five reasons I will share below. But first, let’s look at why this may become the case. It was Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, that addressed AI in the following manner:

“What all of us have to do is to make sure we are using AI in a way that is for the benefit of humanity, not to the detriment of humanity.” — Tim Cook.

What needs to be determined is how and if AI art benefits humanity. As I found out on that Facebook Group, there are certainly those who claim that AI is a detriment. AI is cheating. But so would have been said 30+ years ago with the trad artists vs. the upcoming digital designers. Technology continues to propel forward, and the output morphs and advances.

Burying one’s head in the sand or decrying the inauthentic nature of new technology doesn’t negate its reality. And, soon, its dominance. Having moved from Traditional Artist to Digital Artist to AI artist, one thing has remained central: the “artist” part. I have not sold out to a more accessible tech but assimilated a new creative tech into my skill set quiver of artistic arrows. Arrows I can shoot based on whatever creative need arises.

This is the empathetic way to look at new tech and these new formulations of art: to understand their place in the world and the past through which they came forth. Digital artists, scared of losing their jobs, won’t lose their market share because of AI. As the axiom holds:

“AI might not take your job, but someone who KNOWS how to use AI just might.”

Consider this in terms of historical change. For example, the traditional painter, now equipped with airbrush technologies in the late nineteen seventies and eighties (although the first airbrush was designed in 1876!), could “paint” onto the metal side panels of vans, trans ams, and El Caminos across the urban landscape, turning automobiles into mobile works of art and making serious coin in the process.

The acrylic painter could have complained that the airbrush artist wasn’t “true to painterly form.” But they couldn’t have slapped paint on the side panel of a VW Bettle or the front of a Hanes Beefy T t-shirt and expected it to stick to the metal or cotton substrate either. The tech opened up new avenues of application and revenue streams.

The greatest artists and inventors pivoted to embrace the technologies around them, advancing their skill sets and increasing their coffers as new avenues opened. For the rest of this article, I will describe WHY the Keyboard is becoming the new paintbrush and why YOU should embrace it personally.

Reason 1: The Keyboard is opening up a new level of speed to creativity.

Nearly anything imagined in the mind and typed on the Keyboard can be created through AI art. From breakout scientific diagrams to logo designs, architectural illustrations, and straight-up magazine-quality fashion photography, the only limitations for their development are your level of thought.

As a designer, illustrator, and photographer, I can “hand” render a scientific diagram, complete a logo, sketch a modern-looking lamp, and shoot a model in a museum. Still, those four projects would take hundreds of hours to complete before AI.

Let’s look at the museum model shoot. First, I would have to secure the model, pour through hundreds of headshots to find the suitable model, and then scout the correct locale and space in that building. Then, there is the time to travel to the shoot, the lighting package needed, the choice of the camera needed for the shoot, the time to secure the permits from the museum, and the time in post-editing. This is a huge time drain.

Or, I could do this.

I could make this AI generation even more realistic with more time and some of my specialized techniques (click here for my course), but you get the picture. What took 5 minutes in thought and render time would have taken over a week (or more) in prep, shoot, and post.

This opens the artist to many opportunities, even additional time working on traditional art projects. In my Branding Agency last year, I planned on hiring four additional people to handle the expanding client work level mid-year. After discovering AI and learning how to perfect it, especially in the photo-realism arena, I didn’t need those four new employees and still doubled the workload at the end of the year.

Do I do everything in AI? Of course not, but I now have the skill sets of AI combined with my traditional and digital talents to produce what few can produce in each field alone. This is why my agency, Pure Fusion Media, is one of the top 250 branding agencies in the world, according to Clutch.co.

Reason 2: The Keyboard is now, not just a money maker, but a money saver.

One thing should be glaringly apparent, both in the museum shoot analogy and the increase in workload in my agency: I’ve saved and made a lot of money because of AI. The speed and ease of AI allow me to stretch far beyond my current abilities, time, and resources.

In the museum shoot, I would have saved the cost of the camera(s), the lighting package, the model, the permits, the rental of the space, etc. And that is just one project in a host of other work that hits my office weekly.

The speed and cost savings of AI artistry allow individuals to complete projects that require more time or money than is available from traditional artistic means.

This is an insight that those on that Children’s book Facebook group are going to have to resolve or get swept up in the technological tsunami.

Reason 3: The keyboard opened up third party applications in different domains

In the past, the rise in new technologies allowed would-be creatives the opportunity to enter the marketplace and claim themselves as “designers.” It was a predominantly lateral move. But AI opens up vertical moves for a much broader swathe of individuals.

I am not merely a designer, but the author of six books. I’ve completed most everything I’ve put my mind to, but there was one thing I failed to complete. My children’s book. I wrote the story twenty years ago. It was never produced because a children’s book isn’t merely story — but illustration as well.

Not wanting to shell out the costs for an illustrator with enough skill to produce commercial viable art (probably around 5–10K in illustration fees), I sat on the project for years. Cost was a stop gap. But on January first of this year, I woke up and designed all of the art for the book (20 panels) in just under 8 hours. I wrote about it in this article:

Bottom line, no matter how hard I could have tried the creative technologies available to me, I would never have created this level of artistic dynamism on my own.

It took my keyboard to get me there.

This is the same for numerous other applications, from medical diagrams, to inventive sketches, to cookbook imagery. People who simply don’t have the rare skillsets to produce the commercial or professional quality visuals, artistry, or photography, no matter how hard they try, are given access to an entirely new world of endless opportunities. It’s a vertical move, across domains. That makes AI special and specialized.

Reason 4: Though everyone can join in, not everyone can participate at a mastery level.

Like other forms of creative tools, the keyboard isn’t merely a guarantee of AI visual success. This isn’t easy, and AI is not a respecter of people. AI doesn’t simply create what you want. You must master it, study the prompt formulas, develop your strategies, and use numerous additions such as VARY (REGION), AR, SREF, CHAOS, and other options.

It reminds me of one of the top lines from one of my favorite movies, Ratatouille.

“Not everyone can become a great chef, but a great chef can come from anywhere.” — Anton Ego in Ratatouille

AI isn’t merely typing in a few words on a screen, expecting spectacular results. You must craft words like an artist, creating an emotional response to your text before it is ever generated.

A myriad of components make up the most effective forms of art and imagery. Like a child who can pick up a crayon and create a stick figure and an art prodigy who can melt the crayons down into a softer form and craft a dimensional masterpiece, there are vast differences between the outcomes of each usage of the same “tools.”

Here’s a great resource to delve into some of those “masters.”

Reason 5: Great AI art creates NEW visceral experiences

As much as we appreciate great art, we can flatline our neurological reaction to visuals over time. As we become more accustomed to certain forms of art, our brains regulate the physiological impact. Remember the first time you saw a Harding or Banksy? Or, for others, it might have been a DaVinci painting or Donatello sculpture. It was a raw and honest emotive moment. Eventually, we don’t have the same reaction.

Like illicit drugs or porn, we often face what C.S. Lewis called “The law of diminishing returns.”

Though each of these artists carries masterful skills, their style was limited to their incredible brain power, God-given talents, and tools available at the time. At no other moment have we had the ability to combine multiple creative styles and artistic techniques to create visuals that have never manifested on humanity.

That level of “newness” creates a new visceral experience in our hearts and minds, especially if we can’t tell it was designed in AI. This ties back into Reason #4, which is that not all AI artists can create this level of physiological response.

But some can.

They transcend the tech and the tools, create visual keyboard-based masterpieces few can replicate. Most of these AI “artists” already have creative understanding; they can “see” the text like Cypher could see “blondes, brunettes and redheads” in the coded Matrix. They use the keyboard like a paintbrush, in a synergy between the tool and the tech.

That is its own form of mastery.

Will it ever replace the shock to senses that is the Sistine Chapel? To quote scripture, “may it never be!” Regardless, the uniqueness of the AI generations allows us the opportunity to pause and viscerally appreciate.

In conclusion

AI, pending short-sided legislative restriction or an EMP from space that wipes out all technology, is here to stay. And the keyboard has the capacity to become the new paintbrush as the creative “tool” can:

Save inordinate amounts of time and money

Open up vertical moves across disparate domains

Create new creative “masters” and mastery

And evoke visceral responses at new levels

Those hoping AI goes away will be swept up in the tsunami. You can’t duck dive under this tech. But those that embrace the keyboard as another creative tool in an ever-expanding toolbox may ride the wave to new and broad artistic and financial opportunities. If you too want to be a surfer of this tech check out some of my other stories, where I teach you how to master AI, and look into my course for hands-on practical strategies that came out of hundreds of hours of study and application.

Because, for this technology, and the tools that go with it (like the keyboard), I’m not simply riding the waves.

I’m selling surfboards.