Ferrara15Indie Pop
Radice Personal Music
IF
“If everyone likes it, it's not for me.”
2/6 by the artist
By InvitationIndie PopBiella
Maia
MAIA is an Italian electronic pop project blending human songwriting and composition with AI-generated vocals. Drawing on dream pop, synthwave and lo-fi, it explores identity, relationships and social contradictions through a distinctive sound and retro-inspired aesthetic.
Songwriting matters. With or without AI
— Maia
Transparency
Human × AI
How "Stretti" was made, role by role, as declared by the artist.
4Of 6 roles
by the artist
by the artist
Human
Lyrics
Human
Melody
AI
Vocals
AI
Arrangement
Human
Production
Human
Mix & master
Made by the artistMade with AI
AI tools used: Suno
The Interview
In conversation with Maia
How did you start making music with AI?
I started experimenting with AI music in early 2025, driven by curiosity about how technology could expand artistic expression. I created MAIA as an experiment in authorship and identity: an Italian electronic pop project combining human songwriting and composition with AI-generated vocals. I write the lyrics, develop the melodies and sing each song myself before using AI to generate MAIA’s voice. The process is iterative and guided by human creative decisions. I also collaborate with professional producers to refine arrangements and the final sound. MAIA allows me to explore new creative possibilities while questioning visibility, identity and what it means to be an artist in the age of generative AI. Rather than replacing the human element, I use AI as a tool within a creative process directed by a human artist.
What does AI do in your creative process — and what stays human?
AI is a tool I direct, not a substitute for my creative work. I write the lyrics, compose the melodies, sing the songs and define MAIA’s artistic identity, from the musical direction to the emotional intent of each track. I use AI to generate MAIA’s voice and explore arrangements, but I decide how these elements should serve the song. My prompting system helps me translate specific creative intentions into precise instructions, while experimentation, critical evaluation and selection remain central to the process. AI can generate possibilities, but it does not determine which ones are meaningful, coherent or worth pursuing. Those decisions come from my musical sensibility, experiences and artistic vision. The final work is shaped through this interaction between human authorship and AI-generated material, sometimes refined further with professional producers. What stays human is the intention behind the music, the decisions that shape it and the responsibility for the final result.
Tell us about "STRETTI". How was it made?
“Stretti” began in a car, where I found myself humming a melody that would become the song’s intro. I recorded it on my iPhone, capturing the idea before it disappeared. Over the following months, I developed that initial fragment into a complete song, writing the lyrics, shaping the melody and building the track around its original idea. Once the song was ready, I sang and recorded the entire piece myself. I then brought the recording into Suno, using AI to generate MAIA’s voice and develop the arrangement.
“Songwriting matters. With or without AI”
Which tools do you use, and how?
I lead every stage of MAIA’s creative process, from songwriting and melodic development to artistic direction and final selection. I write the lyrics, compose the melodies and record myself singing each song, with guitar accompaniment or vocals alone. I use Suno to transform my vocal recordings into MAIA’s AI-generated voice and explore musical arrangements. To gain greater control over the results, I have developed my own structured system for designing prompts, translating my musical vision into precise instructions for the AI. My process is iterative: I direct the experimentation, evaluate the outputs and refine each track to serve the original artistic intent. AI is a production tool within a creative framework I have designed and control. For selected tracks, I collaborate with professional producers to refine arrangements, individual tracks, mixing and mastering. The final sound emerges from the combination of my songwriting, composition and creative direction, AI-assisted production and professional studio work.
What does it mean to be an Italian artist in the AI music scene?
With 25 years of experience in music, I approach AI from the perspective of an artist with an established creative identity, not as someone discovering music through technology. Being part of Italy’s emerging AI music scene means navigating a debate often reduced to a binary choice between human creativity and artificial intelligence. I believe the conversation should go further, addressing authorship, artistic responsibility and the value of creative intent. For me, AI raises interesting questions about what makes an artist: the tools they use, the skills they possess, the ideas they express, or the choices they make. Technology changes, but the need for a point of view remains. Through MAIA, I want to contribute to this conversation without treating AI as either a threat to creativity or a solution to everything. I see it as a new territory for artistic exploration, one that deserves the same critical thinking, experimentation and creative integrity as any other medium.
What's next for you?
I’m currently working with a manager to explore how MAIA can enter the traditional music industry. It’s not an easy path, as the project challenges established ideas about artists, performance and the role of AI. But this is the direction I’m committed to pursuing, and I believe the industry will evolve as these new forms of artistic expression become harder to ignore. I have several songs ready for release, as well as collaborations in the works with other artists and designers. I want to keep expanding MAIA’s musical and visual universe while finding the right opportunities to bring the project to a wider audience. My goal is to build something that can stand on its own artistically, beyond the novelty of AI. I don’t know exactly how quickly the industry will change, but I believe there is room for projects that approach this technology with a clear identity, strong creative direction and a genuine reason to exist.
What is the biggest limitation of AI music generation today?
The biggest limitation is how easily AI-generated music can sound generic. Without musical knowledge, it's difficult to recognise why a track feels flat or how to improve it. Suno productions often share similar arrangements, sounds and vocal characteristics. AI makes music production more accessible, but accessibility doesn't automatically mean originality. Musical experience is essential to move beyond a polished output and create something with a distinctive identity.
Why did you move from performing on stage to creating MAIA?
I had grown tired of certain dynamics in the Italian independent music scene, and somewhere along the way, creating music had lost some of its joy. AI helped me find it again. MAIA became a way to reconnect with the part of myself that simply wants to write songs, experiment and express emotions without worrying about being seen or having to turn myself into a public persona. In a way, MAIA gave me the freedom to be more exposed emotionally while remaining invisible physically. She's not a way to hide from my music, but a way to get closer to it. Through her, I found a new reason to create.
Other selected artists
View all artistsFerrara15Read the interview
Lecce02Indie Pop
Tancredi Blu
Dove Ci Nascondeva Maggio
“Somewhere between the silence of the sea and the noise of my thoughts.”
2/6 by the artist
Perugia14Electronic
Andrea AI Sound Creator
The Clock Stops Running
“Shaping the future of electronic music by bringing a human soul to AI.”
1/6 by the artist