Overview
teresaAI is a 3DCG virtual singer who first appeared under the name te’resa, born in Tokyo and raised in Los Angeles. She gained attention through a bilingual approach to pop music and notable mainstream crossover moments, including appearances in Intel television commercials broadcast in China and a selection for NYLON’S NEXT 2021.
In March 2023 the project underwent a defining transformation, splitting into two distinct entities: teresaAI, a voice-synthesis software product preserving the original vocal identity, and ELENA (also styled ELЁNA), the real artist continuing a human-centered creative path. This dual outcome reflects broader questions about the boundary between virtual performance and authentic vocal artistry.
Role and Creative Position
teresaAI’s work bridges Japanese and English-language pop, shaped by a trans-Pacific upbringing. Her catalog ranges from bright, accessible singles like “I Wanna Be Your Girl!” to more mature, atmospheric releases such as the EP predawn. Collaborations with other SINSEKAI ecosystem artists, including a notable “IMAGINARY WORLD” live performance with Rim in June 2022, reinforced her position within the label’s network.
The 2023 split positioned teresaAI not just as a historical artist project but as a product: a voice-synthesis engine carrying the original virtual singer’s timbre into creator-driven production.
Project Position and Technical Approach
te’resa (teresaAI) is a 3DCG singer under PHENOMENON RECORD, active since May 2020.
| Dimension | Content |
|---|---|
| Form of existence | A 3DCG virtual singer, emphasising “the intermediate state between AI and the real” |
| Affiliation | PHENOMENON RECORD |
| Start of activity | 15 May 2020 |
| Technical approach | Distinguished by the combination of real-time 3DCG rendering and virtual-avatar performance |
The meaning of the name: te’resa’s name points at both “teresa” and “AI”; her positioning is not that of a traditional virtual idol but of an experimental being exploring the proposition “how does an artificial consciousness sing?”
Activity History
- Debuted as te’resa, a 3DCG virtual singer active across YouTube, Bilibili, and Weibo.
- Appeared in Intel TV commercials in China, gaining mainstream visibility.
- Selected for NYLON’S NEXT 2021.
- June 25, 2022: Performed in her first two-man live, “IMAGINARY WORLD,” with Rim.
- February 22, 2023: Participated in “αU research × KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO presents prompt αU”.
- March 2023: Split into voice-synthesis software “teresaAI” and human artist “ELЁNA”.
Representative Works and Related Entries
- EPs: Ace (1st EP), predawn (2nd EP)
- Singles: “I Wanna Be Your Girl!”, “RED”, “Don’t slow me down”
Related Projects / Setting
teresaAI operates within the SINSEKAI RECORD ecosystem, a label that houses multiple virtual and semi-virtual artists. The project’s evolution from te’resa into a software-and-artist pair mirrors a wider trend in the virtual singer space, where voice identity increasingly exists independently of any single performer or avatar.
Links to Other Projects
- Early collaboration with RIM: te’resa’s work 《Youthful Strange》 was performed by RIM at her cover concert “CHOCOLATE LIVE,” showing her visibility within KAMITSUBAKI’s creative circle.
- With the PHENOMENON RECORD system: together with CIEL, she belongs to the “experimental / technical demonstration” side of KAMITSUBAKI’s virtual-singer matrix, complementing the grand narrative route of the five witches.
Observation: te’resa represents KAMITSUBAKI’s continuing probing of the boundaries of the “virtual singer” medium — not pursuing the most mass-appealing cute image, but treating 3DCG and the AI name itself as an artistic concept.
References
- teresaAI YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqG0skCM-dky7KGazl9bLqA/
- teresaAI Twitter: https://twitter.com/virtual_teresa
