Harry Yeff (Reeps100): The Future of the Voice—Human, Machine, & Otherwise | #33
Nov 20, 2024
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Harry Yeff, also known as Reeps100, is a London-born neurodivergent artist and technologist with a focus on voice and AI. He shares his journey from beatboxing to pioneering voice technology, exploring the intersection of human creativity and AI. The conversation delves into vocal mastery, the evolution of beatboxing influenced by technology, and the ethical considerations surrounding AI in art. Yeff also highlights the significance of sensory perception in artistic expression and the profound impacts of voice on personal identity and emotional narratives.
Harry Yeff's non-traditional journey highlights the importance of exploring voice for self-expression, akin to physical health.
Collaborations with institutions like Harvard showcase how voice technology can revolutionize artistic expression and performance art.
Yeff advocates for the recognition of diverse influences in beatboxing, promoting artistic individuality within the vocal culture.
He perceives AI as a collaborator rather than a competitor, suggesting it enhances human creativity in voice work.
Deep dives
Harry Yef's Artistic Journey
Harry Yeff, known as Reaps100, emerged from a challenging background and has carved a unique path in the intersecting realms of voice, technology, and performance art. His fascination with voice as an instrument was cultivated from a young age, channeling a love for electronic music into innovative beatboxing that eschews traditional genres. Yeff's unique vocal abilities led him to collaborations with prestigious academic institutions such as Harvard, resulting in groundbreaking projects like the world's first AI ballet. His achievements highlight how his non-traditional journey has paved the way for a revolutionary understanding of voice and its potentials beyond mere communication.
The Connection Between Voice and Technology
Yeff emphasizes the necessity of exploring one's voice as a vital form of self-expression, akin to stretching the body for physical health. He believes that voice, much like fine art, deserves attention and care as it serves as an essential instrument of identity and communication. Through his journey, he has managed to flip the narrative around technology, revealing that voice technology should enhance human creativity rather than supplant it. By developing innovative performances and utilizing new media, Yeff illustrates that the voice can be a site of intersection for both artistic expression and technological advancement.
Chess, Strategy, and Creative Exploration
Yeff's early exposure to chess not only instilled in him a sense of discipline and strategic thinking but also paved the way for his appreciation of the complexities found in voice and sound. He draws parallels between the moves in chess and the way he engages with voice as a medium, understanding the nuances and potential for creativity within the constraints of both fields. This strategic mindset applies to how he cooperates with AI technology, viewing it as a collaborator that enables exploration rather than a rival threatening human creativity. The competitive nature inherent in chess informs his pursuit of vocal mastery, pushing him to embrace discomfort as a catalyst for growth.
The Evolution of Beatboxing and Voice Culture
Yeff discusses how beatboxing, often stereotypically associated with hip-hop culture, is more widely varied and can embody numerous genres and cultural influences. Reflecting on the evolution of beatboxing, he highlights how European influences have shaped a distinct style divergent from its American origins, focusing on experimentation and creativity rather than replication. This nuanced understanding of beatboxing leads him to advocate for recognition of the diversity within vocal culture and the importance of artistic individuality. By demonstrating how beatboxing can transcend mere imitation, he aims to encourage a richer appreciation for vocal artistry across borders.
AI as a Partner in Creative Exploration
Yeff identifies AI as a powerful tool that, when approached thoughtfully, can augment human creativity and push boundaries in voice work. His experiences with AI technology have led him to generate new audio outputs and discover novel possibilities within his vocal techniques. He advocates for a harmonious partnership between artists and AI, suggesting that this collaboration can lead to breakthroughs in understanding voice as it intersects with technology. By embracing AI as not just a machine but rather a collaborator, Yeff encourages a new perspective on creativity that transcends traditional boundaries.
The Significance of Voice in Emotional Expression
Yeff focuses on the emotional complexity embedded in voices and how they can serve as reflections of personal stories, identity, and shared human experience. He emphasizes the power of voice not just through its sonic qualities but as a conduit for deeper emotional connection and expression. Exploring themes of vulnerability and the difficulty associated with revealing one's voice, he works to empower individuals to connect with their vocal identities. By inviting listeners to appreciate their own voices, Yeff hopes to ignite a broader recognition of the voice as a vital tool for emotional communication.
Voice Gems: Capturing the Essence of Human Voice
Yeff's initiative, Voice Gems, aims to create a digital archive that captures the unique qualities of individual voices, transforming them into beautiful artifacts. This project not only preserves human vocal sounds but also symbolizes the profound impact of voice on identity and memory. By recording voices from a diverse array of contributors, including endangered languages and individual narratives, he seeks to create a lasting repository that honors the preciousness of human expression. The interaction between voice and technology in this project serves as a reminder of the importance of our shared auditory experiences and the stories they tell.
What is the future of voice? Where does AI fit in? Listen on!
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Harry Yeff, aka Reeps100, is a London-born neurodivergent artist and technologist specializing in voice, AI, and tech-based performance art. Yeff emerged from a working-class background, dedicating his life to art and concept. He has been visualizing the voice for 15 years and is globally celebrated as a leader in a new wave of voice technology-focused experimentation despite a very nontraditional pathway into fine art and new media. He continues to build on his skillset by utilizing an almost inhuman vocal range to drive his works. Yeff rose to fame in the early 2010s as a beatboxer. His inhuman-natured vocal ability opened up a slew of voice, technology and academic collaborations, leading him to amass a global following, rendering over 100 million views online. Notable academic partnerships include three separate Harvard residencies, the last of which was followed quickly by a collaboration with Leipzig Opera House in Germany, where Yeff produced and directed the world's first-ever AI ballet.
What I so appreciate about Harry's practice is how he’s asking us to return to perhaps our most basic technology: our voices. Oftentimes when folks invoke the voice it’s in service of language or meaning. What Harry highlights is the voice itself—its raw capabilities, how precious each individual voice is. Every time I speak to Harry, I’m left with a renewed excitement for the possibilities of voice—and I’m sure you’ll feel the same.
CREDITS: This podcast is edited and produced by Adam Labrie and me, Jesse Damiani. Adam Labrie also directed, shot, and edited the video version of the podcast, which is available on YouTube. The podcast is presented by Reality Studies. If you appreciate the work I’m doing, please subscribe and share it with someone you think would enjoy it.
