The history of autotune: an infinite trial in the music industry


    In the world of music, if there is something that creates a controversy similar to the issue of cultural appropriation, it is the use of autotune. And like any controversy, it is often spoken without knowing the origin, the context and the reason. Many people in this country would know the word autotune as a result of the event at the Benidorm Fest in 2022 with Luna Ki. But what many may not know is that this story dates back to 1997, the year in which the conversation around this sound resource arose from a certain pop artist who seems to have the elixir of eternal youth. We could be referring to madonnabut actually we are talking about Cher (don’t miss her explosive photos from 50 years ago).

    Autotune appeared in the music industry in the late 1990s as just another audio processor that, by definition, is used to “mask errors and inaccuracies”. In other words, the artist who used autotune in his songs was practically guaranteed to tune his voice without, a priori, making great efforts. A vocal resource that became popular worldwide thanks to ‘Believe’, the mythical song of Cher who became one of the best songs of the 90s and that continues to ring even today.

    As if it were typical of a visionary, Cher used autotune to record the studio version of ‘Believe’ back in 1998, when of course trap didn’t even exist. And the most interesting thing is that this artistic decision was not hidden at all, because Cher’s voice could not sound more robotic and artificial. The song became a anthem about heartbreak and self-esteem, and the debate about the use of autotune did not matter to anyone. In fact, from then on autotune was baptized for a long time as “the Cher effect”, without sounding pejorative. Perhaps the secret was that social networks did not exist to spew hate and meaningless words. Oh… The good times, I guess.

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    Once the wonders of autotune were discovered, the world of pop surrendered at its feet. Its precision made it possible for artists who also performed impossible choreographies on stage to reach the most difficult notes of their songs almost without breaking a sweat. Or else ask Britney Spears, Kesha or Lady Gaga. Or Daft Punk, who didn’t even have choreography. Everything seemed OK with everyone. However, the great controversy over autotune came later, around 2012 at least in Spain, when trap began to emerge with groups like PXXR GVNG.

    Numerous urban artists emerge who take the use of this vocal tool to the extreme, completely distorting the voice and sounding completely different from their natural spoken or sung voice. From then on, thousands of young people from certain specific generations connect with this musical style and even create a culture and a style in the form of clothing or language around this genre. The trap wave in Spain was very powerful and influential for other cultural fields such as fashion, triggering what is now known more as urban music. What used to be marginal and from the street is now commercial and mainstream. And among the many legacies in terms of props that this musical genre has left is the use of autotune.

    Artists like yung beefCecilio G. The Zowi or Bad Gyal have always made use of this resource in their songs, even turning it into a house brand. Consequently, a large part of the population has dedicated itself to criticizing the careers of these artists for a supposed lack of talent or authenticity, probably due to prejudices about their style when it comes to dressing or behaving publicly. Luna Ki was the latest victim of this eternal debate when she withdrew from the Benidorm Fest last January after learning that she had to sacrifice the use of autotune if she wanted to continue being part of the contest. The networks were on fire around this controversy, and opinions are fine, but what should have been a safe environment for reflection and constructive criticism turned into a storm of superficial and self-righteous hate comments. The same old story.

    However, if you look beyond our borders, you realize that in other countries this practice is not criminalized as much. The rise of hyperpop has led international artists such as Charli XCX, Sophie or Caroline Polachek to create a school around this type of characteristic vocal distortions. Regardless of who you are, autotune manages to create certain sound atmospheres with an exquisite beauty and sensitivity that are not possible to achieve with the voice in its natural state. In relation to this, little by little it seems that in our country its use is beginning to be respected more thanks to more avant-garde artists such as Rosalía, Soleá Morente or guitarricadelafuente have included it in their topics.

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    Times move on and the forms of expression when it comes to covering music are endless. Using autotune doesn’t have to work for everyone and sound good in every art project out there. But that’s not to say that it’s not absolutely respectable for it to be used as just another vocal resource like any extra instrument or effect would be. The debates around the artistic are essential for culture to advance and not remain stagnant, but always if they are based on knowledge and curiosity to learn. Nothing is as serious as it seems and art should be a fickle and creative place where you can express yourself however you want. We can only say: Thank you Cher for making this a little more fun.

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The history of autotune: an infinite trial in the music industry