Latin digital artist Nasty Guerrero has criticised the music industry’s growing efforts to regulate and restrict AI-assisted music, arguing that the debate is increasingly centred on control, ownership and revenue.

In a statement, the project acknowledged platforms such as Suno for making AI music tools more accessible, but said its own music involves human producers, musicians and songwriters. Nasty Guerrero said technology is used as a tool within its creative process rather than as a replacement for the people involved.

The project also disputed the idea that the use of AI or other digital tools should determine whether music is considered authentic. It argued that commercially released music lacking originality existed long before generative AI became part of the music-making process.

Nasty Guerrero further raised concerns about the economics of independent music, arguing that independent creators are not receiving fair royalties while established industry structures continue to take a share of music revenue. The statement did not provide specific figures or evidence to support those claims.

The project said its music remains rooted in culture and storytelling and that it does not intend to continue defending its creative process in response to criticism of its use of technology.

Nasty Guerrero’s comments come amid an ongoing industry debate over how AI-generated and AI-assisted music should be identified, distributed and compensated. The statement represents the project’s position on that debate.

Nasty Guerrero, a virtual Afro-Latina artist created entirely in the digital realm, has released her new single “VICTORY,” introducing a project that brings together digital identity, 1980s Vogue ballroom culture, and club music.

Rather than relying solely on generative AI imagery, Nasty Guerrero is presented as a custom-built transmedia avatar with an artistic identity rooted in ballroom culture and contemporary digital storytelling. The project explores the space between virtual representation and human expression, built around the idea that an artist does not have to exist physically to create an emotional or cultural connection.

“VICTORY” draws from the sound and energy of 1980s ballroom, combining club-focused production with the visual world surrounding Nasty Guerrero’s digital persona. The release forms part of a broader transmedia project in which music and hyper-visual storytelling work together to develop the character and her world.

At the centre of Nasty Guerrero’s concept is the contrast between her virtual form and the human creativity behind the music and culture that shape her identity. “VICTORY” marks the beginning of the project’s musical releases.

“VICTORY” is available now on streaming platforms.