Photo Credit: Raph_PH
Lorde has spoken out against Spotify’s AI-powered About the Song feature, criticising the streaming platform after it generated an inaccurate description for one of her tracks and arguing that the tool undermines listeners’ own interpretations of music.
In an Instagram Story shared on July 16, the New Zealand singer-songwriter called out Spotify over an AI-generated summary attached to her song “Current Affairs.” The description incorrectly claimed the track soundtracked a revealing moment during her 2025 Ultrasound World Tour, when the performance in question actually featured her song “GRWM.”
Sharing a screenshot of the error, Lorde tagged Spotify and wrote: “I’m gonna go out on a limb and say we don’t want this.” She added that the AI-generated explanation was “inaccurate” and that it “limits free interpretation” of her work, suggesting artists should have the option to opt out of the feature entirely.
Spotify’s About the Song feature, currently in beta after launching earlier this year, uses artificial intelligence to generate contextual summaries for tracks. According to Spotify, the feature sources information from third-party providers rather than creating descriptions solely from its own data. Following Lorde’s criticism, the company issued a statement acknowledging that it is continuing to refine the tool.
Lorde’s comments are the latest in a string of public criticisms she has made about the growing role of artificial intelligence in music and technology. Earlier this month, while performing at Madrid’s Mad Cool Festival, she questioned the increasing presence of AI in everyday life and criticised AI-powered smart glasses, asking audiences to consider what remains “real” in an increasingly automated world.
