In a small studio at Chuka University, Stephen Bucheri sits in front of his laptop, blending an AI-generated beat with his own live recordings. He is not waiting for record labels or expensive studios to validate his talent. He is making professional-quality music right now, using tools that cost him almost nothing.
"I use AI to generate beats and melodies," said Stephen. "I prefer using the Suna Music app because it understands the kind of Afrobeat and Gengetone rhythms I love. It gives me a starting point, and from there, I can layer my own instruments and vocals. It's like having a digital assistant who never runs out of ideas."
Stephen represents a new generation of self-taught producers, digital natives using AI to amplify their creativity. With just a laptop and an internet connection, he can produce professional-grade demos that would have once required expensive studio time. His story, and stories like his, are reshaping what it means to be a young musician in Kenya.
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What is AI in music production?
AI in music production refers to the use of computer systems trained on thousands of existing songs to aid in the creation of new ones. Think of it like this: if you feed a machine millions of examples of how melodies work, how instruments blend together, and how songs are structured, eventually that machine learns the patterns. It can then use those patterns to generate something new, something original that no human has heard before.
The technology works by analysing vast datasets of existing music. The system learns not just what notes sound good together, but how emotion is expressed through tempo (speed), instrumentation (which instruments play), and structure (how a song is organised). When a user describes what they want like "upbeat Gengetone with heavy bass," the AI understands and creates accordingly.
The tools Stephen and his generation are using
Three platforms stand out in Kenya's AI music revolution: Suna Music (which Stephen uses), Soundraw, and AIVA. Each works differently, but all share one thing: they make professional music production fast and affordable.
Suna Music, Stephen's tool of choice, specialises in African rhythms. It understands Afrobeat, Gengetone, and other local genres in a way that global platforms sometimes miss.
"For me, this is crucial. I do not want generic AI beats. I want beats that sound authentically Kenyan, that reflect where I comes from. Suna gives me that starting point, and then I layer my own instruments and vocals on top," he said.
Soundraw works similarly but offers broader control. It allows artists to generate instrumental tracks by choosing a mood, genre, and tempo. What makes it powerful is that users keep control. You are not just receiving a random composition. Artists can edit each section, adjusting instruments, tempo, or energy levels to fit their artistic vision. Many young Kenyan producers use Soundraw to experiment with Afro-fusion, Gengetone, and Taarab-infused pop. One example is Michelle Mwendwa, a 21-year-old from Meru who used Soundraw to craft her debut Afro-fusion single "Malaika Wangu."
"Soundraw lets you control everything," Michelle explains. "I can change the mood, adjust the rhythm, or even shift from Afro-fusion to pop. It's like painting with sound."
AIVA (Artificial Intelligence Virtual Artist) takes a different approach. Originally designed for classical and cinematic music, AIVA is now being used by producers to craft background instrumentals, film scores, and advertising jingles. The platform uses deep learning models trained on thousands of music scores to compose emotionally rich, structurally balanced pieces. Kenyan content creators and filmmakers have begun adopting AIVA to score documentaries and YouTube videos, cutting down production costs while maintaining professional quality.
The workflow: How it actually works
First, he opens Suna Music and feeds it parameters: Afrobeat, upbeat energy, moderate tempo. In seconds, the platform generates multiple beat variations. Stephen listens, selects the one that resonates, and downloads it. Then comes the real work. He imports that AI-generated beat into his digital audio workstation (DAW), a software program where musicians produce songs. He layers his own guitar recordings over the beat. He adds live vocal takes. He experiments with different instruments and effects.
"Without the AI beat, I might spend hours programming drums and melodies from scratch, a tedious technical process that does not come naturally to self-taught musicians like me. With it, I can focus on what I actually love: playing instruments, singing, and expressing emotion.
This is the real shift that AI brings to music production. It removes the technical barriers that once locked young musicians out of the studio," he said.
Beyond individual creators: AI fostering collaboration
Stephen is not working alone. Artificial intelligence is reshaping Kenya's music industry by giving artists new ways to create, produce, and share their work with remarkable ease. From Nairobi's studios to emerging creators at Chuka University, AI is democratising music production, making it more accessible, innovative, and globally competitive.
Tools like BandLab allow artists to co-create across cities, uploading beats, recording vocals, and sharing feedback in real time. A producer in Nairobi can send a beat to a vocalist in Mombasa. The vocalist records and sends it back. Within hours, a song is born. Distance is no longer a barrier.
Meanwhile, iZotope's Ozone simplifies mixing and mastering. Mixing means adjusting the volume and balance of different instruments so they sit well together. Mastering means making the final polish, ensuring the song sounds professional and translates well across all speakers and headphones. These are complex technical skills that used to require years of training. iZotope automates them, ensuring songs sound polished enough for streaming platforms.
What is happening in Kenya is part of a massive global shift. Suno AI has attracted 46.9 million monthly visits, a stunning leap from zero at its March 2024 launch, and within just 18 months has become one of the most-visited creative-AI platforms globally. To put this in perspective, that is more visitors per month than many African countries have internet users.
By 2033, the music industry powered by AI is projected to grow to a staggering 38.71 billion dollars. Over 51 percent of creators under age 35 actively use AI for music. Your generation is leading this adoption. The oldest Gen Z creators are barely out of their twenties, and already more than half are using AI in their work. AI-generated music is expected to boost overall music industry revenue by 17.2 percent within the next year. This is according to industry growth data by artsmart.ai.
AI also extends to the listening experience. Platforms like Spotify use machine learning to recommend Kenyan songs to global audiences, boosting visibility for artists like Stephen and Michelle. Machine learning means the algorithm learns from millions of listening patterns. If thousands of people who listen to Afrobeat also listen to Gengetone, the algorithm connects those dots and recommends both to new listeners.
For Stephen, this means his song could reach someone in Lagos or London who has never heard of Chuka University but loves the exact sound he creates. Geographic obscurity is no longer a limitation.
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Stephen and his generation understand that AI in music is not without critics. Debates continue over creative authenticity, copyright risks, and the fear of AI-generated music sounding generic or artificial. Some artists worry that as more AI music floods streaming platforms, human musicians will struggle to stand out. Others question whether art created without human struggle and emotion can truly be authentic.
These concerns are valid, Stephen says, but he has a different perspective. For him, the barrier to entry was so high before that he might never have tried. Now, he can experiment, learn, and refine his craft with affordable tools. The AI is not replacing his creativity. It is liberating it.
"AI gives us freedom," Stephen insists. "It does not take away creativity, it multiplies it."
Faith Amolo, another emerging artist, shares his excitement about the trend:
"I'm thrilled about the future of AI in Kenyan music. It's helping us craft distinctive sounds and connect with wider audiences. The opportunities it brings are truly limitless."
The bigger picture: Kenya's AI music landscape
Specific data on how many fully AI-generated singles are currently playing on Kenyan radio stations is not publicly available. However, there are indicators of AI music presence. AI-generated Kenyan songs have been played on major radio stations. Most Kenyan creatives are familiar with AI, with a huge percentage of respondents using a total of 55 AI tools, according to the AI/KE Report 2024. This suggests awareness among producers like Stephen, even if full statistics on releases are not tracked.
Why the data gap? Unlike platforms such as Deezer, which has sophisticated AI detection technology, most Kenyan radio stations and streaming platforms do not publicly track or announce how many AI-generated songs are in rotation. The infrastructure to detect and categorise AI music is still developing in Kenya.
Globally, the numbers are more structured. Deezer receives over 30,000 fully AI-generated tracks daily, accounting for more than 28 percent of the total daily content delivered to the platform. Across all streaming platforms, 18 percent of all daily uploads in 2025 are fully AI-generated. That means approximately 20,000 fully AI-made or AI-assisted songs are hitting platforms every day worldwide.
Additional reporting by Nancy Jepkorir, Vivian Kivuti, Gladwel Muthoni, and Collins Vita
