Indian singer Akasa Singh has made her position on artificial intelligence in music clear: she does not believe technology should take over the creative role of an artist. For her, singing remains a deeply personal form of expression, rooted in an individual voice, emotion and creative instinct. As long as she is able to sing herself, Akasa says she sees little reason to rely on artificial intelligence to create music.
During a recent visit to Bengaluru, Akasa spoke about the changing nature of the music industry, the growing demands of live performances, the pressure created by social media and the increasing presence of AI in music. Her comments come at a time when she is enjoying a positive phase in her career, with songs such as ‘Jab Tak’ and ‘Pani Wali’ gaining attention.
According to Akasa, success in the present music industry is no longer determined by recorded songs alone. Artists are increasingly expected to establish themselves on stage and maintain a visible presence online. The changing expectations have made the profession more demanding, requiring performers to engage with audiences across several platforms.
She believes live performances, in particular, have evolved significantly. Audiences now expect more energetic and visually engaging shows rather than simply watching a singer stand on stage and perform. However, Akasa does not think every singer needs to dance or follow the same performance style to meet those expectations.
She cited Sunidhi Chauhan as one of her inspirations for stage performance and pointed to Shreya Ghoshal as an example of an artist who can command a stage primarily through her voice, musical ability and presence. In Akasa’s view, there are different ways for performers to establish a strong identity in front of a live audience, and dancing is not a requirement for everyone.
At the same time, she views the improvement in the quality of live shows as a positive development. Indian artists, she believes, have the ability to deliver performances on an international scale and present their music and stagecraft on large platforms. Such productions, however, can be expensive. Akasa noted that artists sometimes have to invest their own money to create the kind of large-scale performances audiences increasingly expect.
Social media has also transformed how singers build their careers. Artists can now communicate directly with listeners and develop their own audiences instead of depending entirely on music directors, record labels or reality shows for exposure. This has given performers greater control over how they present themselves and connect with fans.
Yet Akasa sees a downside to this development. She feels that an artist’s follower count can sometimes receive almost as much attention as their musical talent. Singers are increasingly expected to function as content creators as well, producing material for social platforms alongside their primary work in music. For Akasa, that shift can be disappointing because an artist’s musical ability should remain central to their identity.
She also believes the tastes of younger listeners are changing rapidly. With K-pop and music from different parts of the world readily accessible, audiences are exposed to a much wider range of performance styles. As a result, listeners may assess artists not only by their songs but also by their clothing, stage design, dancing and overall presentation. The broader exposure has raised the standard for live entertainment and, in turn, increased the pressure on performers.
It is the growing use of AI in music, however, that concerns Akasa most. She is particularly worried that excessive reliance on technology could affect not only singers but also instrumentalists, guitarists and musicians who perform live. While technological tools can make certain tasks easier, she believes they should not gradually replace the human skills that give music its individuality.
Akasa’s reservations about AI are also linked to her earlier discomfort with the widespread use of auto-tune. She says she did not feel entirely comfortable with the growing dependence on the technology, which has contributed to her scepticism about allowing AI to play a larger role in the creative process.
Her position is not an outright rejection of technology. Rather, she draws a distinction between using technology as a tool and allowing it to replace human creativity. In her view, AI can be useful for simplifying routine or repetitive tasks, but music should continue to retain the human qualities that make an artist’s work distinctive.
For Akasa, a singer’s own voice, feelings and creative abilities remain more valuable than technological shortcuts. She believes those qualities are what give a song its identity and allow an artist to connect genuinely with an audience.
Alongside her comments on music, Akasa also spoke fondly about her connection with Bengaluru. She has been visiting the city regularly since 2011 and has developed a particular liking for its weather and food. Traffic remains one of her complaints, but despite that frustration, she continues to count Bengaluru among her favourite cities.
