Mauricio Bustos, a 30-year-old musician from Santiago, Chile, created the viral AI-generated song “NostalgIA,” featuring AI-cloned voices of Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber, and Daddy Yankee. Released under the moniker FlowGPT, the song garnered significant attention, hitting half a million TikTok views and nearly a million Spotify streams. Despite its popularity, it drew controversy, particularly from Bad Bunny, who disapproved of the AI-generated imitation.

Bustos uses AI to transform his vocals into those of famous artists, allowing him to create music that might otherwise be out of reach for an independent artist from Chile. His work has sparked debate on the ethics and legality of AI in music, with established artists and labels seeking greater protection against AI cloning.

Despite the backlash, Bustos believes AI democratizes music production, giving grassroots producers a chance to break through. He aims to move away from imitations and develop FlowGPT’s own identity, seeing AI as a tool for artistic innovation rather than just mimicry.

FlowGPT caught the attention of Chilean creative studio Sonidos Inmersivos, leading to commercial partnerships with brands like Samsung, KFC, and Sprite. These partnerships have helped fund Bustos’ music production but also risk cheapening the FlowGPT character.

Bustos and his brother Marcelo, who handles visuals and public relations for FlowGPT, have since moved to Spain to expand their opportunities and fanbase. Bustos envisions FlowGPT as a revolutionary artist who challenges the music industry’s monopoly, emphasizing the democratization of music through AI technology.