Woodbridge Songwriter Uses Daughter's Sonogram Heartbeat In New Song

WOODBRIDGE, VA — Nine years ago, Woodbridge resident Jon Freeman recorded his daughter's heartbeat from a sonogram on the morning she was born. Today, that moment is captured in a song as the songwriter Witlove in time for National Daughters Day Thursday.

Witlove is a country music artist who released his album "On My Mind" on Sept. 17 for International Country Music Day. According to the artist, the 14-track record is an early example of a full-length country album assisted by AI to demo the songs.

However, AI did not contribute to the heart of the music — the songwriting. The second single of the album being released Thursday is "45 Minutes," a tribute to Freeman's daughter and the moments when she was born. The lyric video features real family photos and clips featuring his daughter over the years. He called it "the most personal song I've written."

"I recorded her heartbeat that day, knowing it might be the only chance I’d have to capture that magical sound, and carried it on my phone for nine years until the right moment finally came," Witlove told Patch. "Including it in this song feels like honoring those memories in the way they deserve. At the end of the day, though, I’m a dad first. This song wouldn’t exist without my baby girl, the source of so much of the joy and love in my life. Those 45 minutes were my moment. This moment is hers."

Witlove, sees AI as a way to bring words to life with music — without losing the humanity original songwriting provides.

"I don’t view AI as replacing artistry," said Witlove. "I see it as a way to share songs that would otherwise stay unwritten or unheard, and an opportunity to collaborate with artists who can bring their voice to the stories I’ve created."

The new album "On My Mind" is out now. For more information, visit witlovemusic.com.