Boy George Launches Artist-Included, AI-Powered Re-Recording Company with New Karma Chameleon Release

On his 65th birthday, former Culture Club frontman Boy George unveiled Artist‑Included, a music‑technology venture that pairs ethical artificial intelligence with traditional studio work to help legacy artists create new master recordings and reclaim ownership of their catalogues. The company’s debut product is a freshly recorded version of the 1983 hit “Karma Chameleon,” released in partnership with BMG.

Artist‑Included was founded by entrepreneur Paul “PK” Kemsley and entertainment lawyer Jeremy Rosen, with Robert Earl, founder of Planet Hollywood, serving as chairman. The model is built around artist consent, rights clearance, and direct participation. The new “Karma Chameleon” is not a synthetic AI performance; Boy George recorded the vocal himself, and the track was then processed with technology from Syntiant. The AI model was trained on archival recordings and demos that the artist approved, and it was used to support and refine the performance, recreating tonal qualities of Boy George’s younger voice while preserving the authenticity of his own singing.

The instrumental track was also newly recorded. “For decades, artists created the soundtrack to our lives while much of the long‑term value moved away from the original creators,” Kemsley said. “This is not about replacing artists or exploiting old catalogues; it is about helping artists create new ones.” Rosen added that the company intends to place artists “at the centre” of AI in music, both creatively and economically.

Boy George described revisiting the song as an emotional exercise. “Revisiting Karma Chameleon in this way was emotional and creatively inspiring,” he said. “The goal was never to replace the original, it was to celebrate it and let the song keep evolving for new audiences.” The original single was a global success, spending three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, six weeks atop the UK singles chart, and accumulating more than 900 million streams on Spotify.

Artist‑Included’s approach tackles a long‑standing industry problem: many legacy artists signed contracts early in their careers without fully understanding the long‑term implications for ownership and control of their work. The company’s model seeks to create new artist‑owned masters that can generate future revenue through streaming, film and television placements, advertising, gaming, brand partnerships, remixes, Dolby Atmos releases and direct‑to‑fan initiatives.

Robert Earl said the project represents a “seminal moment” for responsible AI deployment in music. “Unauthorised AI is not going to do well,” he said. “I think it’s a seminal moment.”

Artist‑Included is already in discussions with other artists and their representatives, targeting performers whose careers span the 1960s through the 2000s. The executive team includes Syntiant chief executive Kurt Busch, former McKinsey executive Patryk Strojny, music‑industry executive Rob Guthrie and investment strategist Antony Antoniou. Seed investors include Mike Walsh, an early investor in Uber and Salesforce; Doug Raetz of Cresset Sports and Entertainment; and Red Light Management.

The success of the new “Karma Chameleon” release could serve as an early indicator of how receptive artists and audiences are to AI‑assisted re‑recordings. For Artist‑Included and Boy George, the project represents an attempt to reshape the conversation around artificial intelligence in music by placing creators at the centre of the process.

The company’s launch comes amid a broader industry debate over the use of AI in music production and rights management. While AI tools can streamline production and generate new sounds, concerns have grown around unauthorised use of artists’ voices and likenesses. Artist‑Included positions itself as an alternative model that prioritises consent, transparency and creator participation.

As of now, the newly recorded “Karma Chameleon” is available on major streaming platforms and is distributed by BMG. Artist‑Included has not announced a specific release schedule for additional projects, but it has indicated that it will pursue further collaborations with legacy artists in the coming months.

The company’s launch and the release of the new “Karma Chameleon” mark a significant moment for the intersection of music and technology. By combining artist‑approved AI tools with traditional recording techniques, Artist‑Included aims to give legacy artists a new pathway to control and monetize their work in an era where digital rights and ownership are increasingly contested.