When an afro-soul remix of Stromae's 2013 hit song 'Papaoutai' pulled in millions of digital views and streams earlier this year, many listeners around the world, including Namibians, believed it was a genuine human performance.
The song was generated using artificial intelligence (AI), a technology capable of creating music by simulating human voice and composing rhythms and melodies with electronic instruments through computer algorithms. This innovation is gaining attention amongst creatives and raising a critical question. Is this disruptive technology fostering creativity or silently replacing the artist?
Globally, musicians and producers are increasingly turning to AI to bridge skill gaps and meet the demands of the music industry.
A 2025 survey by AI music platform LANDR reported that over 1 200 music makers found that 87% of artists now use AI at some point in their workflow. Electronic music leads adoption at 54%, followed closely by hip hop at 53%. The Beatles used AI to restore John Lennon's voice for their final single, 'Now and Then', which went on to win a Grammy in 2025.
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These are not fringe experiments but signals of a structural shift in how music is made, distributed, and consumed. Music has always evolved with technology, from the electric guitar to the synthesiser to the digital audio workstation. AI is simply the next phase, albeit one that raises far deeper questions about creativity, ownership, and what it means to be an artist.
Streamer and music producer Mikeeysmind released the AI-generated remix around December 2025, which quickly hit over 10million views on YouTube and over 25 million streams on Spotify. The vocals were not Stromae's; producers used AI voice-cloning technology trained on the voice of Congolese singer Arsene Mukendi to create the soulful texture. The song debuted at position 168 on Spotify's global chart and reached position 2 on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart.
Mikeeysmind's viral remix is a compelling example of how AI is no longer a futuristic concept but a technology reshaping the music industry. Cloning Arsene Mukendi's voice and achieving chart positions and streaming numbers that rival those of traditionally produced music demonstrate that AI-assisted productions can succeed in the mainstream market. Rather than replacing musicians, AI appears to be amplifying their reach, blurring the line between human artistry and machine capability. The real question is no longer whether AI can make music, but whether the industry, artists, and listeners are ready to redefine what authenticity in music truly means.
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However, behind the viral numbers and chart positions, the question of ownership cannot afford to be ignored. Who owns and profits from an AI-generated song? In the case of Mikeeysmind's remix, the use of AI voice-cloning technology trained on Arsene Mukendi's voice raises concerns about consent, compensation, and creative rights. Was Mukendi consulted? Does he receive royalties from 25 million Spotify streams? The existing copyright frameworks in most jurisdictions were not designed with AI voice cloning in mind, leaving musicians legally exposed and financially unprotected. As AI-generated music moves from the fringes to the Billboard charts, the industry faces a defining moment. The technology will not slow down, but without ethical guardrails, legal clarity, and fair compensation structures, the very human voices that train these systems risk becoming the industry's most exploited resource. Artificial intelligence may not replace musicians, but an unregulated creative economy certainly could.
*Tweuya Nelumbu is an audiovisual specialist. He can be contacted at ymmagic@gmail.com
