Zee Nxumalo Reacts to Viral Concern Regarding AI-Generated Music
- Amapiano sensation Zee Nxumalo recently weighed in on the heated debate over AI-generated music, joining a growing number of South African artists concerned about the technology's impact
- This, after a famous podcaster released several trending tracks allegedly created using AI software, a move that has sparked fears regarding the job security and creative integrity of human musicians
- The conversation triggered a massive debate among music fans and critics alike
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Source: Twitter
The viral success of Rea Gopane's hit song suka! has raised concerns regarding the job security of real musicians after the podcaster was exposed for allegedly using AI to create his song.
Released on 5 December 2025, the song became a viral hit, generating over a million streams on Spotify in just a month.
However, the track and its creator recently came under scrutiny on social media after several critics began deconstructing its production, pointing out the lack of organic nuances of a human performance.
This quickly turned into a wider industry scandal, with musicians like Sol Phenduka, Prince Kaybee and DJ Maphorisa questioning how tools like Boomy and Mureka will affect traditional artists in the long run.
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Entering the discussion was Amapiano sensation Zee Nxumalo, who posed a critical question about the monetisation of AI-generated songs.
"So the AI music generates income as well?"
Source: Twitter
For Nxumalo and many of her peers, the convenience of simply pressing "generate" to make music poses a direct threat to the years of training that human artists bring to the studio, not to mention literally taking money out of their pockets.
As the debate intensifies, many artists and listeners are calling for clearer labelling on streaming platforms to distinguish between human-made and AI-generated music.
While Gopane has seemingly leaned into the controversy to boost his engagement, a fierce battle is brewing between those who embrace the tech and those who worry about the future of music.
See Zee Nxumalo's comment below.
Social media discusses AI-generated music
Reacting to Zee Nxumalo's post, the online community shared its thoughts on the viral use of AI in music. Read some of their comments below.
unclesplanet said:
"The smartest make the most money."
Khumo_20220718 wrote:
"Everyone is gonna eat unless you are stubborn to adapt."
nhlanhlaphemba posted:
"Yes, and will continue to as long as people stream AI-generated songs on platforms like Spotify."
MikeyMashila added:
"Yes. AI-generated music can earn income if it’s distributed on streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube, etc. It can collect royalties the same way human-made music does, but the money goes to the account holder who uploaded it and to whoever legally owns the rights, not to the AI itself. The big legal debate is about copyright, training data, and whether voices, styles and compositions were used with consent."
sorryiexisted suggested:
"Start a record label and make Zee Nxumalo sing in every language on earth. Keep the ownership of your voice, but use the benefits of AI to reach a wider audience."
Euphonik encourages the use of AI
In an earlier report, Briefly News shared online reactions to Euphonik's message, encouraging people to use AI to create music.
The musician and businessman helped followers see the bigger picture in using advanced technology after Rea Gopane's AI-generated songs became viral hits.
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Source: Briefly News
