Will December's hit song be South Africa's first Al-generated amapiano album?

In November 2024 the Beatles released "Now And Then" to mark many firsts and lasts. The artificial intelligence-assisted single was the band's first and only song of the 21st century, and their last song ever. More than a year after its initial release, "Now And Then" is still making history.

- WESLEY DIPHOKO

SOUTH Africans are accustomed to getting new music as they approach the holiday season. What's different in 2025 is that the music album came in the form of artificial intelligence. This is an important development for the South African music sector for a couple of reasons that includes firstly music making process, secondly, royalties and thirdly its meaning for producers.

The process of making music has always been preserved for those with access to expensive music production studios. According to Gift Lubele, the man behind the first AI generated music album, the album and his work at Aura AI seeks to democratise the music making process. In other words, going forward even those with no access to music studios will now have the ability to produce music. Having listened to the album, I can confirm that his technology has produced a quality piece of music without the need for a music studio.

South African musicians have been complaining about the broken royalty systems and it seems this AI could be a solution.