MUMBAI: The India Today Group (ITG) has orchestrated another technological crescendo in its innovation symphony, launching a revolutionary new music genre called A-Pop featuring two virtual vocalists who promise to hit all the right algorithmic notes.
Just two years after introducing Sana, reportedly India's first AI news anchor who has since evolved from digital debutante to virtual veteran, the media powerhouse is now harmonising human creativity with artificial intelligence in the musical realm.
"A-Pop is more than a genre — it is a fluid, evolving, and collaborative creative process," explains ITG vice chairperson & managing director Kalli Purie. "It merges human imagination with AI capabilities, producing music that is unrestricted by conventional limitations."
The virtual virtuosos making their melodic debut are Aishan and Ruh, each with carefully crafted personalities that blend the authenticity of human backstories with the boundless potential of digital existence.
Aishan, a 22-year-old musical wunderkind with roots in Bareilly and Jodhpur, has been fine-tuning his craft since 17. This digital dream weaver blends indie acoustic, pop and R&B into a sonic tapestry that reflects his fabricated yet relatable life experiences. When not composing computer-generated compositions, this binary Bieber can be found embracing mountain scenery, sporting designer trainers, and maintaining his "old-money" aesthetic.
Inspired by new people and sounds, his lyrics reflect his thoughts and experiences. An ambivert, he connects with fans but values his quiet moments. A Nainital soul, he's drawn to the mountains, while also being a dog lover, bike enthusiast, sneakerhead, and food explorer, all with a classy, old-money style.
His virtual counterpart Ruh, a 24-year-old Delhi native, embodies the spirit of freedom in both personality and performance. This pixelated pop princess brings vibrant energy to new-age music while ostensibly travelling the world, absorbing diverse cultural influences that inform her distinctive sound. Her programming prioritises authenticity and self-expression, values designed to resonate with the group's younger audience demographic.
With an extroverted, vibrant personality, she embraces adventure and travel, exploring new cultures to create new-age pop music. A passionate music lover, she uses it to express herself boldly and authentically. Driven by personal freedom, self-expression, and individuality, she inspires others to live authentically and pursue their passions without fear of judgment.
"Our latest foray into music is a sterling example of what the fusion of human creativity and AI can produce," notes Purie. "A team of music professionals spent relentless hours over several weeks working with AI-led technology to create this pioneering work."
The virtual vocalists represent a new movement where the boundaries between human and machine creativity become increasingly blurred. Their songs may feature human-written lyrics with AI composition, or machine-generated verses with human musical arrangements, all delivered through synthesised voices that never tire or demand royalties.
Unlike their flesh-and-blood counterparts, these digital divas can produce multilingual music, engage with fans around the clock, and personalise content based on audience preferences—offering a performance that's literally inhuman in its consistency and availability.
For listeners keen to tune into this binary balladeering, Aishan and Ruh's musical offerings are available across all major streaming platforms, including YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, and Saavn. Fans can also follow their carefully curated digital lives on social media, where these virtual performers will be hitting high notes and high engagement metrics for the foreseeable future.
