AI music generators like Suno have earned a reputation for producing generic, uninspired tracks, but a new release from artist 1010Benja demonstrates that the tool can yield surprisingly engaging results when paired with human creativity and rigorous iteration. His track "Semiramis' Dream" from the EP "Time Has Nothing To Do With What You Choose..." combines human vocals, live instrumentation, and AI-assisted production in a way that sidesteps many of the telltale signs of AI-generated music.

The song opens with an infectious jungle beat and features Benja's distinctive human voice prominently in the mix. What makes it noteworthy is that listeners wouldn't immediately recognize it as an AI creation. The backup choir, typically one of the most obviously artificial elements in AI music, blends seamlessly into the hyperpop-influenced vocal processing that defines modern pop production. By leaning into the uncanniness of heavily processed vocals, Benja masked the AI's origins without hiding the tool's involvement.

How Did 1010Benja Actually Create This Track?

Rather than treating Suno as a complete music generator, Benja used it as one component in a much longer creative workflow. His process involved multiple stages of human input and AI refinement:

• Initial Collaboration: Benja wrote the lyrics and recorded his own vocals while his collaborator Patrick Holder created the beat
• AI Integration: They fed these human-created elements into Suno and selected outputs that matched their vision
• Iterative Refinement: The AI output was then imported into Ableton, a professional music production software, where Benja edited, added layers, and made adjustments
• Cyclical Process: The refined version was fed back into Suno repeatedly, with Benja estimating he cycled through this process roughly a few hundred times for "Semiramis' Dream"

This approach stands in sharp contrast to the typical Suno workflow, where users input a prompt and accept the AI's output with minimal modification. Benja's method treats the AI as a tool within a larger creative ecosystem rather than as a replacement for human musicianship.

What Does Benja Say About Using AI in His Music?

Benja has been transparent about his use of generative AI on this EP and doesn't apologize for the choice. He acknowledged the ethical concerns surrounding AI music generation but framed his decision pragmatically.

"My friend Patrick Holder did the beat. I recorded the vocals. Then we fed Suno the elements, settled on something, brought it out, edited it on Ableton, and then put it back into Suno. So when you look in Deezer, it marks the song as AI-generated. We're not hiding it. We don't feel any shame about it," said 1010Benja.

1010Benja, Artist

Benja also addressed the broader ethical landscape surrounding AI music. He acknowledged the environmental damage caused by training and running these models and expressed skepticism about whether society can prevent corporations from deploying AI tools. However, he emphasized that his use of the technology stems from practical necessity rather than laziness. As a struggling artist who has experienced homelessness, Benja explained that hiring a professional children's choir or session musicians simply isn't financially feasible.

"The only reason I'm using gen at all is because my visions are currently far beyond my means. People have been asking me, 'Did you use gen AI for this EP?' I'm like, [sarcastically] 'No, I hired a professional children's choir.' What are we talking about? I haven't paid rent last month, and I won't pay rent this month," explained 1010Benja.

1010Benja, Artist

Does This Song Prove AI Music Can Be Good?

"Semiramis' Dream" challenges the prevailing narrative that AI-generated music is inherently low-quality or creatively bankrupt. The track earned recognition from music critics and stands out from the typical output of Suno, which is often dismissed as generic or uninspired. However, the song's success also reveals something important about what makes AI music work: it requires substantial human direction, creative vision, and post-production work.

Critics have noted that much of what makes "Semiramis' Dream" effective could theoretically be achieved without AI. The backup choir effect, while generated by Suno, isn't particularly convincing on its own and could be replicated through layered vocal performances and smart audio processing. What the AI provided was efficiency and a collaborative tool that helped Benja realize his artistic vision within the constraints of his current resources.

The broader takeaway is that AI music tools like Suno don't have to produce "slop," as industry observers often describe generic AI-generated content. When used by artists with clear creative intent, strong technical skills, and a willingness to iterate extensively, these tools can contribute to compelling music. Benja's approach demonstrates that the quality of AI-assisted music depends less on the tool itself and more on how intentionally it's deployed within a larger creative process.