Akon on the future of the music industry: I think AI is going to actually make the experience better
The Senegalese-American singer talks welcoming in new technology in the music industry and the rise of Afrobeats ahead of his UK and European tour.
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With 20 years in the music industry under his belt, Akon has learnt that embracing the future is the only way forward.
The Senegalese-American singer rose to fame with his 2004 debut album Trouble, which soared to number one in the UK charts thanks to hits like Lonely and Locked Up. He continued to evolve his style and has garnered fans along the way with his blend of R&B, hip-hop and African rhythms within his music.
In recent years, he has increasingly focused on development projects in Africa and within the tech-sphere. Some of his more ambitious ventures – like creating a futuristic, “real-life Wakanda” in Senegal with its own cryptocurrency – have not quite worked out as planned.
But while some are disparaging of recent developments within the industry, with the rise of social media influence and the inclusion of artificial intelligence, he sees them as new creative frontiers.
“What I’ve learned about the music (industry), is that it is going to gradually continue to expand, and grow, and change the perspective of how people think and how they move”, the 51-year-old reflects.
“Back in the day, the game – and when I say the game I mean the music industry – it was so targeted and it was so controlled.
“There were oligarchies that actually created opportunities for who was going to be the next star, which album would be the one that everybody focused on every summer.
“And this time, it’s totally different because no-one knows who’s going to be the next superstar and where they are going to come from, because now the game has been spread out and the world has been connected through social media and the internet.”
I think AI is going to actually make the experience better, believe it or not. I don't think it's a threat in any kind of way.
The singer recognises the democratisation of the industry has also caused there to be an abundance of choice, which can bring its own challenges.
“Today, things are more difficult,” he says. “Not only just for the artist, but also for the fan as well, because it’s more energy that you have to actually invest to find something that you really love and relate to.”
But he feels artificial intelligence could solve this problem by helping listeners find music that connects with them without having to sift through countless playlists and video reels.
The musician, born Aliaune Thiam, thinks it will also give artists an “extra advantage” to create “better music, better lyrics”.
“I think AI is going to actually make the experience better, believe it or not,” he adds. “I don’t think it’s a threat in any kind of way.”
During his career, Akon has played a significant role in introducing African music and talent to the international stage. His collaborations with renowned artists like Snoop Dogg, Eminem, T-Pain, and David Guetta have helped him reach audiences around the world and receive industry recognition, including five Grammy nominations.
And before you could gain traction by posting a TikTok or Instagram reel, Akon utilised his influence to uplift Afrobeat artists the old-fashioned way, by talking them up to labels and industry executives.
The singer credits the UK with helping to popularise the genre – which has become one of the most prominent in the world due to acts like Burna Boy, Wizkid and Davido – enough for the USA to pay attention.
“I remember when I was going into all these record companies back in 2009 to 2012, trying to shout Wizkid, trying to shout P-Square and all these major labels, they thought it was Reggae music,” he recalls.
“They didn’t feel like this was going anywhere, they had no idea what it was, they didn’t even care.
“But the UK took the time to listen. It was very cultural, they opened up the doors and started playing it in clubs and radios started picking it up to where now, it’s actually a genre that’s standing side-by-side with dance music, with hip-hop and Afrobeat is collaborating now with Reggaeton.”
Akon drew heavily on the genre for his 2023 EP Afro Freak. He plans to follow it up with a new album later this year which he hopes will connect with his audiences.
“I’ve grown tremendously, musically,” he notes. “So I’m hoping that the music and where it’s grown, (that) it doesn’t go over the head of some of the audiences or it’s not something that takes them away from what related them to me in the first place.”
While he does not feel pressure for the record to live up to a certain expectation at this stage in his career, he is worried about how much time has passed since he first started, so much so that many of his original fans are likely now parents who will be introducing his music to their children.
“There’s a whole new generation that’s coming up that wasn’t as exposed to Akon as their parents were,” he says.
“So the challenge for me now is to find a way to get into their hearts as effectively as I was with their parents.
“So I’m talking to a whole new generation today than I was at the time when I came out.
“So now it’s really more so the curiosity of how these experiences today relate to this generation.”
Ahead of dropping new music, Akon is raring up his fans with his latest global tour. After a sold-out run in the US, the singer is taking his Superfan tour across the pond to the UK and Europe and the shows mark his first time performing in venues this side of the Atlantic in 10 years.
During the concerts, the singer will treat the audience to a series of hits from his back catalogue including Beautiful, Right Now (Na Na Na) and Smack That, to name a few.
“I wanted this tour to be based and specifically targeted to my super fans,” he says.
“The superfans are the ones that have always been there, they keep you relevant even when you’re not.”
Akon’s The Superfan Tour will run from April 27 to 30 in the UK, with more information at Akon.com.