Gayle King recently sat down with Telisha “Nikki” Jones, the woman behind Xania Monet, an AI-generated artist who’s quickly become a major talking point in music and tech. Monet made headlines after signing a multimillion-dollar record deal with Hallwood Media and becoming what Billboard calls the “first known AI artist to earn enough radio airplay to debut on a Billboard radio chart.” Since her debut, Monet has appeared on at least five Billboard charts, marking a major milestone for digital artistry.

Xania Monet has been racking up streams like crazy, drawing millions on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. Her breakout single, “How Was I Supposed to Know,” went straight to No. 1 on Spotify’s “S.A Spotify Daily” chart in South Africa, then spread to global playlists, earning her international recognition.

Of course, the rise of AI in creative spaces has stirred strong opinions among artists, including Kehlani, who shared her thoughts in a recent TikTok video. The singer expressed her disapproval, saying, “Nobody will be able to justify AI to me” and “I don’t respect it.”

Jones responded with grace, acknowledging that everyone is entitled to their perspective. 

“Technology’s evolving. Everybody has different ways of putting in work to get to where they’re at. I don’t feel a way about it. I still love Kehlani’s music. I still listen to her every day,” she told King.

While Jones admits she isn’t a singer, she says the words behind Xania Monet’s music are deeply personal. “The lyrics are 100% me,” she explained, adding that they come from poems inspired by her own life. “Xania is an extension of me, so I look at her as a real person.”

King pressed further, noting that Jones can’t actually sing, raising the question of authenticity in the art form. “What do you say to the people that say, she may be an extension of you, but other singers who have actually worked hard, who have practiced their craft, who are really struggling to get heard, who are really doing the actual singing that you seem to have taken a shortcut to all of that?” King asked. Jones replied, “I wouldn’t call it a shortcut because I still put in the work, and anytime something new challenges what we’re used to, you’re going to get strong reactions behind it. I just feel like AI is the new era we’re in, and I look at it as a tool, as an instrument, utilize it.”

She also shared her philosophy on AI and creativity. “We’re not replacing traditional artists; we’re expanding what’s possible. Technology doesn’t erase emotion; it amplifies it. Xania was never meant to compete with anyone, but was created to collaborate and show that imagination and innovation can coexist beautifully,” Jones said.

During the interview, Jones walked King through her creative process, demonstrating how she uses AI platforms like Suno to bring her poetry to life. As the conversation unfolded, it was clear that Jones sees her work not as a replacement for human artistry but as a redefinition of what it means to create in a digital age.