An up-and-coming South Carolina musician is now starting to attract tens of thousands of listeners online and is being picked up by media outlets across our state…but there’s only one problem: he isn’t real.
Rowan Hart, described as a 24-year-old University of South Carolina graduate who bartends in Columbia’s Five Points, is marketed as a soulful, up-and-coming singer with Southern roots.
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As Hart’s streaming numbers climbed, criticism mounted. Local musicians have accused the project of blurring ethical lines and threatening an industry already wrestling with AI’s rapid expansion. The most controversial element: Hart’s creator, Steve Varholy, did not disclose on streaming platforms that Hart’s voice is AI-generated, leaving many listeners unaware the singer is fictional.
Hart’s bio describes him as a “South Carolina-based multi-media persona” sharing “songs, stories, and a little Southern soul.”
As artificial intelligence pushes deeper into creative spaces, Hart’s rise signals a growing debate in the Carolinas’ music community: What happens when a musician with no pulse can still build a fanbase?
