Kumi Tanioka and sound label Digital Sonic Design have recently clarified the situation surrounding a “new album” that appeared this month on various online streaming platforms under the composer’s name. Tanioka, who spent over a decade with Square Enix before striking out on her own, is widely recognized for her contributions to the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series.
On the 19th, Tanioka took to her personal X account to post a screenshot of the album – named “A Village Built on Wind” – and voiced her bewilderment at its release, particularly since she was listed as the artist. She made it clear that the album holds no connection to her work. While Tanioka considered the possibility of another artist sharing her name being responsible, the album’s placement alongside her authentic creations, such as Final Fantasy-related albums, on major platforms like Spotify has led to considerable confusion.
A short time later, Digital Sonic Design, known for publishing some of Tanioka’s compositions, released a statement of their own. They verified through YouTube Music that the contentious album was entirely AI-generated. Although the music itself doesn’t violate Tanioka’s copyrights, the label expressed concern over the attribution causing consumer confusion. “This seems to be an instance of someone leveraging a technical loophole in the streaming service’s system,” they remarked, urging platforms to implement more robust safeguards.