Zedi harps on technology as tool for independence in African Music

Zedi Africa, has emphasised the role technology plays in driving independence in African music.

This was at a recently held Twitter Space session titled “How Technology Drives Independence in African music.”

The speakers discussed a variety of topics, including the ways in which technology has made it easier for African musicians to create, distribute, and promote their music.

The Space was hosted by Zedi Africa and co-hosted by Founder and CEO of Zedi Africa, Ized Uanikhehi. The speakers on the Space were: Head of Music, Cool FM, Ademola Adeyemi; CEO, Zedi Studio, Dike Meremoth; Music Executive & Entrepreneur, Motolani Alake and Musician & Software Engineer, Tochi Bedford.

The speakers noted that technology has given African musicians more control over their careers as, with the rise of digital platforms, musicians can now release their music directly to fans, bypassing traditional distribution channels.

Speaking on the ethics of using AI tools to create music, Meremoth, said: “I am torn in half about it. I pride myself on making music from scratch. I don’t use samples. If I’m thinking of the perspective of the people who came before us, they would see us as cheats because we can just open up one software and create music”. He talked about using AI tools to create some lyrics on an experimental level and how he felt that it was unethical.

They also stated that technology has made it easier for African musicians to connect with a global audience. In the past, African music was often limited to a regional audience. However, with the rise of digital platforms, African music can now be heard by people all over the world. This has helped to increase the visibility and popularity of African music.

When asked about how AI tools affect music-making, Adeyemi, said, “In this sense, AI helps the creative process. It helps us finetune our processes and it is doing well in terms of giving direction to our thoughts but it still needs human input and intellect to put things together.”

He expressed a few reservations about AI tool usage but spoke on the need for human control over the process.

The speakers also discussed some of the challenges that artists face in the digital age. Like the difficulty to stand out in a crowded marketplace, and how it can be challenging to make money from music. However, they also stressed that the opportunities that technology offers far outweigh the challenges.