Reply, an international group specialized in the creation of new business models enabled by Artificial Intelligence, is proud to announce the winner of the first edition of the Reply AI Music Contest —an international competition, organized in collaboration with the Kappa FuturFestival, aimed at creatives from around the world interested in exploring new ways to combine music, visuals, and AI technologies within live performances.

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The winner is the production ‘Sinvocea’ by DeLaurentis, a DJ and producer based in Paris, who incorporated AI into her electronic compositions, utilising AI-generated vocals and real-time processing. A pioneer in the use of AI in music since 2018, DeLaurentis incorporated these tools into her creative process: treating technology as an extension of her voice, she has developed a unique approach where real-time vocal improvisation generates visual shapes and colours, creating a dynamic dialogue between human and machine. Her latest work, Sinvocea, is a visual instrument that explores the intersection of sound and image, transforming performances into ephemeral moments of research and expression. By using AI to "draw" with her voice, she expands the boundaries of live performance and synesthetic creativity.

The contest, centred on the theme "Experience of a Beat", challenged artists to use AI to create immersive performances blending sound, visual art, and audience interaction. The jury — composed of Albertino, Tini Gessler, Nicola Gotti, Fleur Shore, Jacopo Di Cera, DJ Tennis, Damir Ivic, Tessa Nijdam, Heleen Blanken, Ali Demirel, Ale Lippi, Auronda Scalera & Alfredo Cramerotti, Annibale Siconolfi, and Seth Troxler — reviewed over 300 live performance projects from around the world to select five finalists.

The finalists were, I AM JAS, from Barcelona, is a DJ whose sets blend Afrobeat, techno, and experimental sound techniques, with an interest in integrating AI into live mixing; Helang, a DJ and producer based in New York, who combines techno and trance influences with a focus on digital identity and technology; Marco Puccini, a visual artist from Milan, who works with digital media and scenography, using AI tools to build responsive visual environments for live settings and the collective MIRROW, based in Turin, with their project that explores the interaction between algorithmic music generation and visual output in a live performance context

These finalists showcased their AI-integrated live sets on the LAB stage at Kappa FuturFestival, performing on Friday and Saturday from 14:00 to 15:00, with the winner announced at the close of Saturday’s event.

“I am very proud and thankful for the recognition. I used AI to produce music for many years and when the opportunity to use AI in real-time came, I took the chance to interact with the AI live, and it became a conversation between my voice and AI generated visuals, which are based on the pitch, tone, volume, speed and vibrato of the sounds I generate. As the equipment is quite complex and fragile, I tend to perform in studios, so this was the first time I performed Sinvocea on stage, in a DJ booth, and to be able to do it at Kappa FuturFestival was incredible” commented DeLaurentis, the winner of the 2025 AIMC.

“The winner and all the finalists of the Reply AI Music Contest demonstrate how Artificial Intelligence can unlock entirely new dimensions of musical expression—innovative, immersive, and deeply emotional—while preserving the human essence” said Filippo Rizzante, CTO of Reply. “Generative algorithms are reshaping the creative landscape, not only in what we produce—images, videos, sound—but in how we create. In music, we see live performances as an area with great potential from which hybrid forms will emerge, combining audio with dynamic visual elements. The Reply AI Music Contest serves as a platform to spotlight this evolution, giving emerging talents the chance to explore frontier technologies and build the skills shaping the future of music and live performance.”

At Kappa FuturFestival, we’ve always embraced innovation and creative experimentation. Partnering with Reply to host the AI Music Contest was a natural extension of our mission to push the boundaries of live performance. This collaboration allowed us to create a unique platform where technology meets artistry, demonstrating how AI can amplify emotional depth and reshape the way audiences experience music." Gianluca Brignone, Partner and Chief Innovation Officer at Kappa FuturFestival.

The AI Music Contest is part of the broader Reply Challenges, a program comprising technological and creative competitions that reflect Reply’s commitment to developing innovative educational models that engage with the younger generation. The Reply Challenges community now has over 150,000 participants worldwide.

To see more about the contest, visit aimc: https://challenges.reply.com/challenges/creative/ai-music-contest/home/

Reply

Reply [EXM, STAR: REY, ISIN: IT0005282865] specialises in the design and implementation of solutions based on new communication channels and digital media. Reply is a network of highly specialised companies supporting key European industrial groups operating in the telecom and media, industry and services, banking, insurance and public administration sectors in the definition and development of business models enabled for the new paradigms of big data, cloud computing, digital media and the Internet of Things. Reply services include: Consulting, System Integration and Digital Services. www.reply.com

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