Boy George Re-records Karma Chameleon with AI, Launches Artist-Owned Master Initiative

Boy George has released a new version of Culture Club’s 1983 hit “Karma Chameleon” that incorporates artificial intelligence, and the single marks the first release from a new company called Artist Included. The project was timed to coincide with the singer’s 65th birthday and is intended to give legacy artists control over new masters.

The re‑recording was produced by Steve Levine, who mixed the original track, and uses technology supplied by Syntiant. According to the company’s announcement, the AI model was trained on recordings and demos that George and Levine approved. George returned to the studio to record new vocals, while the Syntiant system recreated the emotional texture of the 1983 master from the supplied data.

“Karma Chameleon” was a global success when it was first released in September 1983. It stayed at number one on the UK singles chart for six weeks and topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in the United States. The single has accumulated more than 900 million streams on Spotify and remains Culture Club’s only U.S. number‑one hit.

Boy George has spoken publicly about his relationship to the song. In a recent interview with Forbes, he recalled that the track “nearly never happened” and that he had threatened to leave Culture Club unless it was included on the album. He also said that revisiting the song after more than four decades stirred unexpected emotions, describing the process as “like a child I lost control of.”

The new version is part of Artist Included’s broader goal to address a long‑standing issue in the music business: artists who created classic hits often do not own the master recordings that generate licensing revenue. According to entrepreneur Paul “PK” Kemsley, the company’s mission is to allow musicians to create new, artist‑owned masters with full consent and transparency. Entertainment attorney Jeremy Rosen co‑founded the venture, and Planet Hollywood founder Robert Earl serves as chairman.

Kemsley has said that, “Used responsibly, AI can become one of the most powerful creative tools the music industry has ever seen.” The company’s approach is to use AI as a collaborator rather than a replacement for human artistry. The technology is intended to help artists re‑record their catalogues in a way that preserves the original feel while giving them ownership of the new masters.

The release of the AI‑enhanced “Karma Chameleon” demonstrates how legacy artists can leverage emerging tools to regain control over their work. It also illustrates a growing trend of companies that combine traditional production expertise with AI to create new recordings of older songs. The initiative may influence how licensing deals are structured and could provide a model for other artists seeking to reclaim their catalogues.

At present, the new version of “Karma Chameleon” is available on major streaming platforms, and Artist Included has announced plans to expand its roster of artists. No further releases have been scheduled yet, but the company’s website indicates that it will continue to work with musicians who wish to produce AI‑assisted re‑recordings of their classic material.

The project underscores a shift in the industry toward artist‑centric ownership models and highlights the potential of AI to serve as a creative partner rather than a replacement. For Boy George, the re‑recording is more than a nostalgic revisit; it is a statement about control, ownership, and the future of music production.