FOR Ghanaian urban gospel and Christian Hip-Hop artiste Kingzkid, AI is changing how music gets made, promoted and consumed, but it can't on its own do the one thing that actually matters: make an artiste relevant.
He believes that though AI can give artistes and producers new avenues to experiment, engage audiences and grow their music, the technology stops there.
This is because the human story behind every song must remain central. Artistes would still need to build distinctive sounds, tell compelling Ghanaian stories and create genuine connections with their audiences.
"On the creation side, artistes and producers now have more tools for experimentation, songwriting, production and post-production.”
"For promotion, AI can help independent artistes read their audience, put together marketing material, personalise campaigns and reach listeners outside Ghana without needing a huge budget.”
“However, it won't make an artiste culturally relevant. The ability to tell compelling Ghanaian stories, build a distinctive sound and connect with your audience still matters more than ever”, he argued in a chat with Graphic Showbiz on Sunday, Sep 20.
Still, he's not against using AI himself.
"I am open to using it for brainstorming, for finding creative directions I might not have thought of. But the human experience has to stay at the centre — the emotion, story, cultural perspective, lived experience among others.”
“If AI helps you say something better, that's creativity, but if it replaces the reason the song exists, then we need to ask what we're actually making”, he remarked.
Asked whether AI could dilute Ghana's musical identity, he pushed back on the idea that authenticity is only about sound.
"It's about the story and the people behind the sound. Highlife, Hiplife, Afrobeats, our traditional forms carry history, language and identity. AI can help us document and amplify that heritage, but it can't be allowed to erase the human context that makes the music Ghanaian”, he stressed.
He's, however, more guarded about voice cloning, and wants stronger protections for artistes.
"That's probably where we need the strongest boundaries, because an artiste's voice isn't just an audio file; it's their brand, their identity. “Nobody should be able to take that, generate music with it and profit off it without the artiste's knowledge or consent. We need clear rules on consent, ownership, attribution, compensation and transparency”, he pointed out.
Kingzkid expects AI to create opportunities and disrupt jobs in the industry and thinks the conversation needs to be honest about both.
"It'll lower the cost of adapting music for international audiences and reaching new markets, which is good for Ghanaian artistes and producers. But some traditional roles will shrink. The real question is whether our industry prepares creatives to work alongside the technology. Get that right, and it works in our favour”, he added.
Looking ahead, Kingzkid says he's chasing new sounds without losing himself in the process.
"I'm exploring new production, melodies, rhythms, textures while still sounding like me. I want the next phase to be more intentional lyrically, songs that have something to say but are still enjoyable”, he stated.
His Church Politics EP, the follow-up to April's Spiritual Songs EP, was originally slated for an August 2026 release.
“It's finished, but has been held back after internal deliberations. I am hoping to put it out before the end of the year”, he added.
