I’ve been making AI music for months — I even released an album without knowing theory — but there was always one problem: you couldn’t legally use someone else’s song. That just changed.

Spotify and Universal Music Group signed a licensing deal that lets Premium users generate AI covers and remixes of licensed tracks from participating artists. For the first time, you can take a song you love, run it through an AI voice model, and share the result — without getting a takedown notice.

If you’ve ever wanted to hear your favorite song in a completely different voice — or wondered how people on TikTok make those viral AI covers — here’s exactly how to do it. It’s the same tech I used when I cloned my own voice for blog narration.

What the Spotify deal actually means

The short version: Spotify Premium users will be able to create AI-generated covers and remixes using licensed tracks from Universal Music artists. This isn’t a free-for-all — only participating artists are included, and the output is meant for personal and social sharing, not commercial release.

This matters because until now, making an AI cover of a copyrighted song was a legal gray area. Artists like SZA have been vocal about AI training on their music without consent — she recently discovered 238 of her songs had been used in AI training datasets. The Spotify deal is an attempt to build an authorized path: artists opt in, fans get to play, and everyone gets paid.

Warner Music is pursuing similar arrangements focused on artist control over names and likenesses. The industry is moving from “shut it all down” to “build a legal framework.” That’s progress, even if it’s messy.

How to make an AI cover right now

There are two paths: the Spotify built-in feature (once it rolls out fully) and third-party tools you can use today. I’ll cover both.

Option 1: Spotify’s built-in AI covers (Premium only)

This is still rolling out, but here’s what we know:

  1. You need Spotify Premium — free tier won’t get access
  2. Find a participating song — not every Universal Music track is included; look for the AI remix badge
  3. Select “AI Cover” from the song menu — Spotify will let you pick from available voice models
  4. Generate and share — the output lives in your Spotify library and can be shared on social

The feature is currently in beta, so access is limited. But when it fully launches, it’ll be the easiest way to create a legal Spotify AI cover.

Option 2: Third-party Spotify AI cover tools

If you want to start right now, here’s how I do it using tools like Kits.AI or Voicify.AI:

  1. Get the song file — Use a tool like Cinch Audio Recorder to capture the track from Spotify. This gives you a clean MP3.
  2. Separate the vocals — Upload the file to LALAL.AI or Moises.ai. These tools isolate the vocal track from the instrumental. It takes about 30 seconds.
  3. Choose an AI voice model — On Kits.AI, you can browse hundreds of pre-made voice models (think: Drake, Taylor Swift, anime characters). Pick one.
  4. Generate the cover — Upload the isolated vocal track, select your voice model, and hit generate. The AI will re-sing the song in that new voice.
  5. Mix it back — Download the new vocal track and combine it with the original instrumental using a free editor like Audacity.

This whole process takes me about two minutes once you’ve done it once. The quality is surprisingly good — especially for pop and hip-hop tracks.

This is the part most tutorials skip. Here’s the reality: using third-party tools to make AI covers of copyrighted songs is still legally risky. The Spotify-Universal deal only covers tracks within Spotify’s ecosystem and participating artists.

When you use a tool like Kits.AI, you’re essentially creating a derivative work. Under U.S. copyright law, that requires permission from the original rights holder. The Spotify deal solves this for their platform, but if you post that AI cover on YouTube or TikTok, you’re operating in a gray area.

My rule of thumb: If you’re making AI covers for fun and sharing them casually on social media, you’re probably fine — especially if you’re not monetizing. But if you’re planning to release it on streaming platforms or use it commercially, you need explicit permission.

The industry is catching up fast. A recent report from the RIAA noted that AI-generated music accounted for over 100,000 uploads per day to streaming platforms in 2023. That volume is forcing platforms and labels to create clear rules. The Spotify deal is just the beginning.

Final thoughts

Making a Spotify AI cover is easier than ever — whether you use Spotify’s built-in feature or a third-party tool like Kits.AI. The key is understanding the legal boundaries. Stick to personal use, credit the original artist, and don’t try to pass it off as your own creation.

The tech is fun, the results are impressive, and for the first time, there’s a legal path forward. Now go make something weird.