As technology continues to evolve, it creates new avenues for industries to grow along with it. 

While controversy surrounds tech being used in music, such as AI-generated songs, it also creates a positive impact for musicians. Among the panels at the 2023 AFROTECH™ Conference was “From Beats to Bytes: The Convergence of Music and Tech,” moderated by Marc Byers, the former general manager of Motown Records and founder of Protect The Culture. During the panel discussion, Nigerian producer and singer Pheelz and Ghanaian-born songwriter and artist Lord Afrixana discussed the pros and cons of merging technology and music. Pheelz expressed how tech has made the world “small” but also put artists on a “global stage.” For him, this exposure allowed him to watch his hit record “Finesse” blow up in real time via the power of tech and social media, specifically. 

“I was just at home in a place called Gbagada in Lagos making the song in my room, and I just posted a video with my friend, and that was it,” Pheelz recounted on the Innovation Stage at the 2023 AFROTECH™ Conference. “I had only 20 followers on TikTok at the time.”

The intersection of music and tech is what led Lord Afrixana to work with Beyoncé as “Don’t Jealous Me” was featured on “The Lion King: The Gift.” After a fellow songwriter advised him to learn how to record himself to save time and effort when pitching his records, he got Logic Pro, a comprehensive audio editing and musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) sequencing software, downloaded onto his computer. 

“I really took my time, and every day I would literally record something,” Lord Afrixana said. “Record a vocal, make a beat. It got to a point that by the end of the year, I had amassed so many little songs that I was creating. That’s what really got me on the Beyoncé project, was me sending this folder of songs that I recorded in my house and sending it off to my publishing company, and them being like, ‘Oh, this is amazing. Let’s send this off to their camp.'”

In addition to using social media to his advantage, Pheelz shared that he uses Unreal Engine, a real-time 3D-creation tool, for his lyric videos, which has given him “the speed to be able to create more.” 

When it comes to AI, Lord Afrixana spoke about the importance of the Black community not being afraid of the tech tool and instead embracing it.

“We’re at [a point] right now in this world where we’re trying to figure out how much we can wield AI without it overtaking us, but as creatives, the thing that we must understand is that we can have this God thing in us,” Lord Afrixana said. “We have this thing that God gave us to create things. These things like AI and Unreal Engine are just hammers, nails, and screwdrivers in the tool belt. You have to utilize it accordingly… Do not be afraid of it because once you become afraid of it is when you demonize it, and once you demonize it, you will never use it.”

He emphasized that it’s critical for fellow Africans to tap into AI as it can be a way to advance the African continent and the next generation.

You don’t want to miss sessions like this and more at AFROTECH™ Conference 2024.

The main stage will be the epicenter of this year’s gathering, with heavy-hitting speakers and discussions designed to ensure ticket holders have a top tier experience. In addition to the coveted main stage, the 2024 AFROTECH™ Conference has added a few new options in the Cybersecurity, AI, and Data and Engineering stages. The Women’s Summit will also be returning with some new additions in the Founder’s Summit, Health & Environmental Equity Summit, and Creative & Design Summit.

This year’s speaker lineup is even more impressive. Check out the schedule for yourself and purchase your ticket by clicking here.