Japanese App Puts AI Music Creation in Everyone's Hands

Anyone with a melody in their head can now turn it into a full song, thanks to a Japanese startup making AI music creation as easy as typing lyrics.

VoiSona, developed by Nagoya-based tech company Ibis, lets users create professional-sounding vocal tracks by simply typing notes and words. The app uses AI to recreate realistic singing voices, with virtual characters covering everything from anime themes to video game soundtracks.

The platform has already found its audience. One user's video featuring virtual singer Ui Shigure earned tens of thousands of views on YouTube. Another showcased virtual performer LeuR covering a song from the game "Doki Doki Literature Club!" to an enthusiastic global fanbase.

What makes VoiSona special is how it balances technology with humanity. The company works with real artists like Shigure and LeuR, recording their voices for 60 to 90 minutes so the AI can learn their unique sound. These voice libraries then become available to creators worldwide, with the original artists sharing in the revenue.

The pricing opens doors that were previously closed. At 880 yen (about $5.75) per month per voice, VoiSona costs a fraction of competitors like Yamaha's Vocaloid, which charges around $65 for a single purchase. One free voice is available to help new users get started.

"The expressiveness is impressive," said composer and voice trainer Ryo-hei after testing the app. "It creates a very beautiful and elegant singing voice."

The timing couldn't be better. The voice synthesis market in Japan hit $166 million in 2024 and is expected to reach $195 million in 2025. Meanwhile, the global appetite for Japanese pop culture continues to surge, with the otaku market growing across anime, gaming, and virtual entertainment.

The Ripple Effect

VoiSona's approach is creating opportunities on multiple levels. Artists get a new revenue stream and global exposure. Bedroom composers finally have affordable tools to bring their musical ideas to life. Fans get fresh content celebrating the Japanese culture they love.

Ibis brings serious tech muscle to the challenge, with 296 engineers among its 352 employees. The company previously found success with Ibis Paint, a freemium illustration app featuring anime-style filters that became one of the world's most popular drawing tools.

The company shares its revenue with voice artists and has built in safeguards. When users create songs with the voice of SoftBank's Pepper robot, for example, they must follow rules preventing them from impersonating official content or damaging the company's reputation.

As Japanese pop culture continues its global expansion, VoiSona is positioning itself at the intersection of technology and creativity, giving fans the tools to become creators themselves.