In a bold fusion of code, creativity, and club culture, DeLaurentis, an electronic music producer from Paris, has been crowned the winner of the first-ever Reply AI Music Contest—a global competition spotlighting the intersection of artificial intelligence and live musical performance. Hosted in collaboration with Italy’s Kappa FuturFestival, the contest drew over 300 submissions from artists blending sound, visuals, and machine learning into immersive experiences.
A Voice That Paints with AI
Her winning piece, “Sinvocea,” isn’t just a track—it’s a live visual instrument. DeLaurentis used AI not only to generate vocals but to “draw” with her voice—translating pitch, tone, vibrato, and other vocal nuances into real-time visuals. The result? A synesthetic performance where human voice and algorithm engage in a visual dialogue, turning ephemeral sounds into living, reactive art.
“I’ve used AI for years to produce music, but this was the first time I brought it into a live set in this way,” DeLaurentis said after the win. “The experience at Kappa FuturFestival, performing ‘Sinvocea’ live in a DJ booth, was unforgettable. It was a conversation between me and the AI—my voice guiding the visuals moment by moment.”
She’s no stranger to AI in music. Since 2018, DeLaurentis has treated technology as an extension of her artistry, building her sound around machine learning tools. With Sinvocea, she pushes that approach further—blurring the line between performance and code-driven co-creation.
“Experience of a Beat”: A Theme That Hit Home
The 2025 Reply AI Music Contest centered on the theme “Experience of a Beat,” calling on artists to explore how AI can shape not just the sounds we hear but the environments we experience them in. Performances had to integrate AI in a meaningful way—whether through real-time generative visuals, interactive audience components, or AI-powered sound manipulation.
Joining DeLaurentis on the finalist stage were:
- I AM JAS (Barcelona): Known for mixing Afrobeat and experimental sound, with a growing interest in live AI integration.
- Helang (New York): A trance/techno producer exploring digital identity through technology-driven sets.
- Marco Puccini (Milan): A visual artist who crafts reactive environments using AI-generated scenography.
- MIRROW (Turin): A collective working at the intersection of algorithmic music and responsive visuals.
All five finalists showcased their AI-powered performances on the LAB stage at Kappa FuturFestival, captivating crowds with hour-long sets that reimagined what a live DJ experience could be.
Human Meets Machine: Where Creativity Gets Augmented
The contest’s high-caliber jury featured artists, technologists, and curators including Albertino, Tini Gessler, DJ Tennis, and Seth Troxler, alongside digital art visionaries like Heleen Blanken and Ali Demirel. Their message was clear: AI isn’t here to replace musicians—it’s here to redefine the creative process.
“AI can unlock new dimensions of musical expression while preserving the human essence,” said Filippo Rizzante, CTO at Reply. “It’s not just about automating sound—it’s about creating hybrid art forms, where audio and visuals evolve together in real time.”
That sentiment was echoed by Gianluca Brignone, Chief Innovation Officer at Kappa FuturFestival:
“We’ve always embraced creative experimentation. This contest was a natural extension of our mission—to push the boundaries of what live performance can be. AI didn’t just enhance the music; it amplified its emotional depth.”
More Than a Contest—A Creative Movement
The Reply AI Music Contest is part of the larger Reply Challenges program, a global initiative that combines technology, art, and education to inspire the next generation of innovators. With over 150,000 participants worldwide, the program covers everything from coding marathons to AI-powered design competitions.
In that context, the AI Music Contest isn’t just about showcasing cool tech—it’s about developing the creative and technical fluency needed to thrive in a world where art and AI increasingly co-create.
With the success of its debut year, the contest sets a new standard for what the future of performance might look like—fluid, responsive, and powered by collaboration between artist and machine.
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