AI can imitate our songs. Can it preserve them?
Summary
AI-generated songs are rapidly imitating Nepali folk music and replacing original tracks on buses and social media, raising concerns about cultural loss and artist compensation. The trend is especially affecting familiar lok dohori and traditional songs that have long carried Nepal’s musical identity.
Key Points
- AI-generated tracks are increasingly replacing Nepali folk songs on buses and social media, often imitating the style without crediting the original artists.
- An AI cover of 'Lamjunge Dadaima Hawa Sarara' has drawn nearly five times more views than the original song by Jibihang Rai.
- The article argues that AI music sounds soulless and erases the cultural meaning embedded in Nepali folk traditions.
- Youth-led efforts to preserve Nepali history and traditional crafts are presented as a contrast to the spread of AI-generated content.
