On 10/3, AI company Particle6 garnered attention with the release of the music video "Take The Lead," starring Tilly Norwood. In the video, Tilly is portrayed as an A-list star whose image is ubiquitous, attending major events and touring. Despite her glamorous life, she struggles to prove her humanity. The latter half of the video centers on the "Tillyverse," a world where AI characters live, interact, and work.

The lyrics assert the value of AI, with lines such as: "I'm just a tool, but I've got life", "They think I’m just a dollar dream but I've got more than they believe", "AI's not the enemy, it's the key", and "They say it's not real, that it's fake. But I am still human, make no mistake".

The "Take The Lead" music video opens with a caption stating that 18 real people participated in its production, covering roles from production design and costumes to prompters, editors, and motion capture performers. *Video: YouTube/Tilly Norwood*

The music video has garnered nearly 20,000 views on YouTube after half a day online. Most viewers mocked the concept, deeming the content "cheesy." Some commented that 18 people were unnecessary for its creation, expressing annoyance after watching. A few found the song good and were impressed by the visuals.

A selection of comments includes: "It's strange that AI keeps saying it's human when it's clearly not", "The people behind this music video clearly lack aesthetic sense", and "In a world where AI increasingly dominates industry, art and creative mediums are the last things AI should touch". One user acknowledged the team's efforts, suggesting the project sparked an engaging discussion. However, they advised the company to consider the investment costs versus the results.

A scene from the latter half of the music video. *Photo: YouTube/Tilly Norwood*

According to Variety, the project draws inspiration from a recent essay by Eline van der Velden, CEO of Particle6 and Xicoia studio, who is also an actress. The song was generated using the AI music platform Suno, and the video was produced by Particle6's team of programmers using a suite of AI tools combined with a proprietary creative process. They applied new motion capture techniques, with Eline van der Velden performing Tilly's gestures as a model.

Regarding the lyrics, Eline van der Velden explained that the song reflects the criticism Tilly Norwood received after her debut last year, while also "focusing on the humanity and creativity behind Tilly." For her, an AI actress is a means to test the creative potential and limits of artificial intelligence, not to take anyone's job.

"As an actress, I enjoyed embodying Tilly in this video. Now, I feel that using motion capture technology to breathe life into an AI character is a wonderful way to help unknown actors like myself get closer to the acting profession", van der Velden said. She also believes that despite excellent techniques, AI works require good ideas, aesthetic taste, direction, evaluation, and time to be perfected. Therefore, she asserts that humans remain central.

Tilly Norwood appears at 1:25 in the "AI Commissioner" sketch from July 2025. *Video: Particle6 TV*

According to international media, "Take the Lead" is a project paving the way for Tilly Norwood's official debut as an actress this year. In September 2025, the character caused a stir with news that she was in negotiations to sign a contract with a top Hollywood management company. At the time, founder Eline van der Velden stated her desire to build Tilly's image as "the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman". According to the company representative, Tilly has been trained for "subtle and emotional acting."

Hollywood reacted negatively to the development. On Variety, "Oppenheimer" star Emily Blunt commented that Tilly Norwood is a composite of many familiar artists' faces, urging the tech industry not to strip away human connection. On the show "The View," comedian Whoopi Goldberg called the use of AI actors "unfair." She said: "You're dealing with something that's made up of 5,000 other actors, but the way it moves, the facial expressions, can't be real. We can still tell the difference between an AI actor and a human one."

Tilly Norwood's appearance comes as AI increasingly infiltrates various artistic fields, from painting, music, and literature to acting. Initially, many singers, actors, authors, and filmmakers opposed the use of AI in creative work, fearing it would harm artists' rights and copyrights. Recently, however, perceptions of artificial intelligence in Hollywood have shifted, with many studios and producers viewing this technology as a supportive tool and learning to coexist with AI.

By Phuong Thao (based on Hollywood Reporter, Variety)