Afrobeats Star Sparks Controversy, Becomes First Nigerian Artiste To Feature AI Choir on a Song

LAGOS, Nigeria – Fave, real name Chidozie Godsfavour Ugochinyere, has always had a unique voice that knows how to cut through the noise, combining the rhythm of Afrobeats with soulful introspection. But on her latest release, “Intentions” featuring Urban Chords, she tapped into controversial Artificial Intelligence technology, sparking a heated debate across the internet. 

Released on November 23, 2025, the track marks the first time a Nigerian artist has used an AI Choir for vocals, a feat that has not gone unnoticed as strong reactions continue to pour in from fans and industry players. The announcement came via a viral X post from @AlbumTalksHQ, showing Fave in a red-lit stage bathed in blue glow, mic in hand and blonde wig flowing, a visual that has racked up 15,000 views in hours.

An Unlikely Collaboration?

Urban Chords, an AI choir that generates synthetic choir sounds trained on diverse voices, went viral when it released a choral version of Fave’s June 2025 single, Intention, released on the Colors Show. The choral version racked up tons of views across TikTok, overwhelming the original release a s generating negative reactions from many who considered it unethical and an example of AI-assisted intellectual property theft. 

Many industry watchers expected Fave to take legal steps challenging the use of her intellectual property without permission. However, what came next was unexpected. Fave released a remix of the original song, this time featuring the same AI Choir.

Fave, whose 2025 EP DUTTY LOVE earned critical acclaim, reacted to the controversy with a video posted on TikTok in which she expressed her surprise that many listeners seemed to enjoy the AI Choir version by Urban Chords, better than the original. 

She also talked about her struggle with deciding whether or not to acknowledge the AI version. But in the end, she decided it was her song and her lyrics and that anyone or anything who wanted to make a rendition of it was welcome. “Anyone who discovers the AI version has also found me.”

“My song ‘INTENTIONS’ is on the very short list of songs that I wrote a year ago and still love,” she said, explaining how the AI version “felt like an extension of my vision.” 

Still Generating Reactions

Reactions have poured in fast and fierce. Fans are divided, turning the release into a conversation about IP theft, AI, and automation. “Loved how Fave dropped the choir version of Intentions! This is real artistry,” tweeted @DamaraSOL, praising the release. @HYPETRIBE shared the full video, calling it “OUT NOW” accompanied with fire emojis. 

On TikTok, covers and remixes exploded, with users like @rollingunits posting snippets: “FAVE ft AI CHOIR‼️🤩 ‘INTENTIONS’ featuring urban chords 🎶 OUT NOW.”

However, not everyone is convinced. Some feel it lacks the raw human element, while some think she should sue.

“Was expecting her to sue them after but then she just… featured them?” posted X user @OsasOkonyon. 

“This is disappointing. Real choirs exist.” Posted user @ChuGailx

However, user @Fozadoza was one of those who had a more positive reaction to the development, choosing to focus on the brighter side of things.

The Fave Intentions AI Choir moment arrives at a time of a global shift in music tech. In Africa, Nkasiobi Chukwu was spotlighted on CNN for his AI generated album. In 2024, Senegal’s Boubacar Djiba built the continent’s first AI mastering platform Senmixmaster. 

Globally, SunoAI and Udio have sparked debates, with Rolling Stone releasing an article in September 2025 on ‘How Creative Leaders Can Use AI Without Losing the Human Spark’’

For Fave, it’s personal evolution. From scoring her 2021 breakout hit “Baby Riddim” to getting featured by some of Afrobeats biggest stars, perhaps the mantle has fallen on her to push Afrobeats into a new age of AI-assisted creativity.