Singer Benjamin Kheng has released an unprecedented collaboration with Southeast Asian virtual influencer Rae. Titled ‘WORLDS’, the project is the first of its kind in Asia that features a duet between a human and virtual being.
The song was also accompanied by a music video that includes a scene of the duo sitting back to back.
Rae is one of Asia’s few AI beings who has garnered over 550,000 followers on Instagram and Weibo combined. The collaboration was possible due to her latest TTS voice generation technology which enables aural content to be produced almost immediately.
View this post on Instagram
Sharing the inspiration behind the melancholic track, Kheng said: “The song was written about a loved one who passed on, and how I missed her so much I'd dream of lifetimes with her.”
View this post on Instagram
“The song is a natural extension of our interactions across two realms – Ben in the physical and myself in the metaverse,” elaborated Rae.
“For me, the song expresses the friendships and rapport I’ve established with every individual across our universes. It's about how our worlds, while different, can converge and connect. I hope that fans will enjoy checking out the video and listening to the new release.”
View this post on Instagram
Kheng and Rae first announced the collaboration on 17 August on their respective Instagram pages.
“I was so curious as to how working with Rae would be, but finally meeting ‘her’ was a blast,” said the ex-member of The Sam Willows. “She might be virtual but she, her team and the whole process felt real ‘real’ to me.”
Kheng’s collaboration with Rae comes after he and musician-actress Annette Lee announced an upcoming comedy music video series titled The Ann & Ben Show. His last solo release was an EP titled A Sea That Never Stops in 2020.
