Ne-Yo Learns of AI Artist Signing Through Airport Encounter, Supports Human-Led Production

Three-time GRAMMY winner Ne-Yo says he was blindsided when he learned that his Pan-Asian music company, Pacific Music Group, had signed TaTa Taktumi. The AI-generated artist developed under producer Timbaland's AI venture, Stage Zero, signed without his knowledge.

TMZ caught Ne-Yo at Los Angeles International Airport, where a photographer broke the news. "My label signed an AI artist?" he asked, looking bewildered. "If that happened, clearly somebody over there is working without my knowledge. I was not aware of that."

After processing the news, he offered a measured take. He replied, "An AI artist backed by actual artists, songwriters, and producers? Sure, why not. Why the hell not." He clarified that he's in "support of anything that pushes songwriters and producers forward. I am not in support of people who only know how to prompt AI and then create music with that. In my personal opinion, that's cheating. But if you're an actual songwriter, you're an actual producer, and you're using AI as a tool to further music, that's different."

Pacific Music Group was launched by Ne-Yo, Indian music legend Sonu Nigam, Chinese American rapper MC Jin, and veteran music executive Jonathan Serbin. The Hong Kong-based company says it aims to build world-class music careers from the heart of Asia, focusing on discovering, mentoring, developing, and promoting the region's most promising talent.

TaTa was created as part of Stage Zero, which will continue to be involved in her development. PMG will exclusively manage TaTa across Asia, acting as her global record label for all upcoming releases worldwide. TaTa's music was developed by Timbaland with the help of Suno, a popular AI music model, with Stage Zero first announced in June 2025.

Along with the signing announcement, PMG revealed, for the first time, the person behind the project. "TaTa's signing with PMG is rooted in a deeply personal journey of reconnecting with her Asian roots and embracing her Filipino heritage," the release read.

The TaTa Taktumi project has yet to gain significant traction with fans. Her debut single, "Glitch x Pulse," released in October 2025, has tallied roughly 196,000 YouTube views.