AI is shaking up the music industry — but what does that mean for singers, teachers, and creatives? In this episode, Alexa chats with Dr. Rachael Drury to unpack how generative AI is impacting songwriting, session work, copyright law, and even live performance. We explore what’s at risk, what’s protected, and what we can still hold onto as humans in a digital age. Whether you’re AI-curious or already feeling the shift, this is your essential guide to understanding AI’s role in music today, and how to stay empowered through it.
WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?
0:33 What actually is AI?
5:22 Examples of computer generated music
9:43 What areas of the music industry are seeing the most and least AI impact?
17:23 What about holograms?
27:42 How can we tell if AI is impacting our creative jobs?
32:25 AI & copyright
53:24 When will AI take over the creative industry?
55:15 Moving forwards positively
About the presenter, click HERE
RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS
Illiac Suite by Lejaren Hiller
Suno and Mikey Shulman
Udio (featured songs are original tracks created using Udio; used with attribution for demonstration purposes)
The Blossoms
Independent Society of Musicians
Sibelius
Section 9.3 of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act
Seb Cuttill
ISM The Rise of AI: Friend or Foe?
Pro Tools
ABOUT THE GUEST
Dr Rachael Drury is a violinist, educator and researcher whose work explores the fast-changing relationship between music, technology and the law. After studying classical violin at the University of Hull and the Royal Northern College of Music, Rachael enjoyed a busy freelance career performing with orchestras such as the Hallé, Opera North, and the BBC Philharmonic, and recording across genres from film scores to commercial albums.
In 2019, she returned to academia to explore how the music industry is being shaped by new technologies. She completed an MA in Music Industry Studies with Distinction at the University of Liverpool, where her dissertation focused on holograms in live music and what they mean for artists and audiences. Rachael recently completed her PhD in Music at Liverpool with a thesis titled Algo-rhythmic creativity: the legal and economic challenges of generative AI in the UK music industry, exploring how generative AI is reshaping copyright, authorship, licensing and musicians’ livelihoods.
Rachael now teaches at the University of Liverpool across music industry studies, classical performance and performance pedagogy, while continuing to perform and teach talented young violinists. Her research has led to real-world impact through her current role as Senior Researcher and AI Officer at the Independent Society of Musicians, where she works on copyright policy, creative rights and AI. She regularly speaks on these topics at conferences, panels and events, and was awarded the IASPM Andrew Goodwin Memorial Prize (2021) for her early research on copyright and the music industry.
Rachael is passionate about helping professional musicians, music students and teachers understand and navigate the changing landscape of the industry, especially as AI becomes part of our musical lives.
Instagram: @rachael_drury
