Messina01
By InvitationRockReggio Emilia
Zero Ideale
Zero Ideale is an AI music project that blends rock alternativo, rap and elettronica. The tracks explore love, friendship, the passing of time and what remains of us. Direct, authentic, without labels.
Time changes everything. We give voice to what it cannot take away.
— Zero Ideale
Transparency
Human × AI
How "Quelli di Ieri" was made, role by role, as declared by the artist.
3Of 6 roles
by the artist
by the artist
Human
Lyrics
AI
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 Zero Ideale
How did you start making music with AI?
I was fascinated by the potential of artificial intelligence, but at first, I didn’t take it too seriously. I mainly used it for fun, experimenting with different musical genres without any real artistic goal in mind. Then, almost by chance, during one of my many experiments, something emerged that truly struck me. A sound, an energy, and an emotion I hadn’t expected. From that moment on, I began to look at this tool through different eyes. I realized it could become a way to give shape to ideas, thoughts, and stories that until then had existed only in my mind. That’s how ZERO IDEALE began to take shape. What started as a simple pastime gradually evolved into an artistic project with its own musical identity and narrative. Today, I don’t use AI simply to create songs, but to give a voice to emotions, experiences, and fragments of real life that I feel compelled to share.
What does AI do in your creative process — and what stays human?
Artificial intelligence helps me turn ideas into sound. It allows me to experiment with arrangements, instruments, vocals, and musical atmospheres that would otherwise require very different resources. But the most important part of the creative process remains human. AI has never walked the streets of my childhood. It has never fallen in love with my wife, watched our children grow up, or lived through the moments that inspired my songs. Those memories belong to me. I am the one who decides what to tell, which emotions to convey, and how the music should accompany every word. Artificial intelligence is the tool, not the reason I create music. I don’t believe technology makes art any less authentic. I believe authenticity comes from what an artist truly has to say. Artificial intelligence can generate a voice, but it cannot generate the life behind the words.
Tell us about "Quelli di Ieri". How was it made?
This song was born from my own life, from fragments of memories and moments I truly lived alongside my wife. It tells the story of two people who grew up together, from the carefree days of youth to the life they share today, with three children, responsibilities, and years of experiences behind them. The lyrics draw inspiration from real moments: familiar streets, songs we sang together, mistakes, promises, and that feeling of still recognizing each other, even though everything has changed. Musically, I aimed to create an emotional pop-rock atmosphere, starting with delicate guitars and building toward powerful, energetic choruses. Artificial intelligence helped me transform this personal story into a musical arrangement through experimentation and creative choices. It is not a story about perfect love, but about real love, the kind that stands the test of time. Technology helped create the music. The memories and emotions were already there.
“Time changes everything. We give voice to what it cannot take away.”
Which tools do you use, and how?
My main tools are ChatGPT, Suno, VEGAS Pro, and Pro Tools. The songwriting process always starts with me, with my ideas, personal experiences, and the emotions I want to express. I mainly use ChatGPT to refine the meter, improve the flow of the verses, and fine-tune those little details that often make all the difference. It supports me during the polishing stage, rather than serving as the starting point for the writing process. Suno is the tool I use to turn my lyrics into music. Through precise instructions, I work on genres, arrangements, vocal characteristics, and atmospheres, striving to maintain a distinctive and recognizable sound for ZERO IDEALE. I use VEGAS Pro for audio editing and Pro Tools for final mastering, carefully refining the sound before release. My goal is not to let artificial intelligence make decisions for me, but to guide it toward the result I have in mind. The ideas, stories, and emotions remain human. Technology helps me give them shape.
What does it mean to be an Italian artist in the AI music scene?
Being an Italian artist in the AI music scene means bringing a tradition rooted in words, emotions, and storytelling into a new creative language. Italy has a musical culture in which lyrics have always played a fundamental role. It is a tradition I strive to preserve through ZERO IDEALE. Unfortunately, however, I still notice far too much bitterness, hostility, and intolerance, not only from those who criticize AI-generated music, but even among artists who use the very same tools. Instead of supporting one another and contributing to the growth of this new artistic landscape, some seem more interested in discrediting each other’s work, fueling rivalries and pointless competition. I believe that discussion and criticism are essential, but they should be constructive rather than turning into hostility. I don’t expect everyone to embrace this way of making music, but I believe every form of artistic expression deserves respect. To me, being an artist means having something to tell the world, not proving that I am better than everyone else.
What's next for you?
I want to keep growing ZERO IDEALE without losing what has made the project what it is today: the desire to tell real stories through music. I’m working on new songs, striving to make our sound increasingly distinctive while paying closer attention to songwriting, arrangements, and every little detail of the production. At the same time, I want to further develop the visual side of the project through ZID STUDIOS, creating music videos and cinematic stories that allow people not just to listen to a song, but to experience it through images as well. My hope is that one day, people will listen to ZERO IDEALE without immediately thinking about artificial intelligence, but simply finding themselves in the words of a song. Because the most important goal isn’t to prove what a machine can do, but to discover how far a human emotion can travel.
What sets ZERO IDEALE apart from a simple musical experiment with artificial intelligence?
ZERO IDEALE was not born to demonstrate what artificial intelligence is capable of generating, but from the need to tell a story. Behind every song are thoughts, experiences, memories, and a clear artistic identity. We are not interested in producing music in large quantities, but in creating songs that people can connect with and see themselves in. The project also extends beyond music. Through ZID STUDIOS, we aim to give our stories a visual dimension, exploring imagery and cinematic language. I believe the difference lies not in the tool itself, but in the sensitivity of the person guiding it. Because generating a song is relatively easy. Having something authentic to say is an entirely different story.
What would be the most meaningful recognition for ZERO IDEALE?
The greatest recognition would be knowing that one of our songs has become part of someone’s life. That someone listened to it while thinking about a lost love, a distant friend, their family, or a chapter of their life that will never come back. I would like ZERO IDEALE to be listened to without the need to constantly point out that artificial intelligence is behind the music. Not to hide it, but because it would mean that the emotions had reached people before the technology did. If one day someone told me, “This song feels like it was written just for me,” I would already consider that a meaningful achievement. Because technology changes. Human emotions, fortunately, remain.
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