In Nepal, AI tracks that imitate folk music are increasingly being played on buses and spreading on social media. A columnist for Kathmandu Post believes that such compositions may push performers and the cultural traditions from which they borrow elements into the background.
According to the author, performers of Nepali folk music are often little known to the general public or have a narrow circle of followers. At the same time, traditional songs are preserved thanks to familiar storylines, a dialogic style and ties to local customs. The author suggests that the weak connection between listeners and performers facilitates the spread of generated music.
AI cover and the original song
The column cites “Lamjunge Dadaima Hawa Sarara” as an example. The original composition was released a year earlier by singer and songwriter Jibihang Rai, while the AI cover appeared almost seven months ago. According to the data cited by the author, the AI version has nearly five times more views than the original.
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The author also notes that AI tracks are repeatedly used as audio accompaniment on social platforms. The text suggests that the performer of the original song may not have received compensation for the cover’s popularity, although the column contains no information about rights to the composition or payments.
Sound and cultural heritage
In the author’s view, most music-generation models were trained on Western content, so they lack data to reproduce the sound of distinctly South Asian instruments. He describes AI compositions as having a metallic electronic tint and background noise that only imitates traditional instruments.
The column emphasizes that Nepali folk music is connected to local traditions, including songs sung by men and women during courtship. The author mentions panchibaja melodies and the madal rhythm as part of the musical heritage. He also draws attention to youth initiatives to preserve history, traditional crafts and national clothing, including the katharchive.np page and the Bachhittaa brand.
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