Philips Olajide, staring at a half-finished album that might never see the light of day. The music professional turned software developer had poured his heart into the project, but the harsh reality of Africa’s music industry was suffocating his dreams.
Philips Olajide, staring at a half-finished album that might never see the light of day. The music professional turned software developer had poured his heart into the project, but the harsh reality of Africa’s music industry was suffocating his dreams.
Studio time was expensive, and quality production tools were costly as well. The path from creative vision to finished song felt impossibly long.
Five years later, that same frustration would birth something extraordinary: Korin AI, Africa’s first artificial intelligence music laboratory.
The story begins with two friends who refused to accept the status quo. Olajide, a music professional with coding skills, partnered with Solomon Ogunbowale, a mobile developer, to tackle a problem that resonated across the continent.
African artists, content creators, and filmmakers were constantly hitting walls: expensive studios, copyright complications, and limited access to authentic African sound libraries.
The breaking point came in 2024 when Olajide faced another creative roadblock. He needed specific sounds for a project but couldn’t find anything without risking copyright infringement.
The existing global AI music platforms, such as Suno and Udio have captured all the libraries except those from native African datasets.
“We are building the future of AI music in Africa, where there are no limitations to things you have in your hearts,” says Olajide, now CEO of Korin AI. “Your ideas can now be transformed into sound by just leveraging AI technology.”
Between 2019 and 2024, both founders explored various tools, ranging from DAWs to music marketplaces. Still, they consistently faced barriers including high production costs, licensing constraints, and a lack of authentic African sound libraries.
This challenge gave rise to the idea behind Korin: a platform that makes music creation accessible, particularly for underrepresented voices from Africa.
What makes KorinAI different isn’t just its African origins but its approach to understanding culture. While global platforms treat African music as an afterthought, KorinAI built its foundation on authenticity.
The platform leverages its Large Music Model (LaMuM), trained exclusively on African vocal data, including voices, styles, dialects and folklore.
However, here’s where the story gets interesting: they didn’t scrape existing music, thereby avoiding copyright issues. Instead, they hired vocalists and lyricists from across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa.
“We chose not to scrape data,” Olajide reveals. “Instead, we hire vocalists and lyricists from across Africa to create original datasets in various languages, dialects, and genres. This ensures full rights, authenticity, and legal safety.”
Each genre receives dedicated attention. Afrobeat isn’t just programmed patterns but understood rhythms, language choices, and cultural context.
Highlife carries the weight of its history. Fuji pulses with its traditional energy. Every musical tradition gets a dedicated advisor and dataset coordinator.
Users provide lyrics, choose a musical style, and can even upload their voice. The AI then weaves these elements into a complete song, maintaining the cultural authenticity that global platforms often miss.
But the platform offers more than quick generation. Two modes serve different needs: Auto Generate for rapid inspiration and Custom mode for professional polish. Artists can remix, refine, and perfect their creations until they meet studio standards.
The technology addresses a fear many African musicians harbour: Will AI replace human creativity? Olajide’s answer comes through innovation, not deflection.
The platform’s Persona feature allows artists to license their vocal styles, earning revenue when others use their distinctive sound. Instead of replacement, KorinAI offers amplification.
“Korin AI is designed to empower musicians, not replace them,” Olajide emphasizes. “We view AI as a tool that expands creative possibilities and income opportunities.”
KorinAI’s ambitions stretch beyond music creation into distribution and monetization. The platform promises integration with streaming services, though the founders remain realistic about timelines.
Early discussions with Boomplay and AudioMack Africa show promise, while API level conversations with SongDis and Hafriplay are already underway.
The vision extends to Korin Reels, a marketplace designed specifically for African creators, and comprehensive royalty tracking systems. Content creators and filmmakers can transform scripts into soundtracks. Aspiring artists can bypass traditional gatekeepers.
The backing by FirstFounders, a venture studio focused on African AI ventures, validated what Olajide and Ogunbowale suspected: they weren’t just solving a personal problem but addressing a continental opportunity.
“FirstFounders saw the huge market potential in combining AI with Africa’s untapped musical richness,” Olajide notes. “Our early MVP showed the ability to generate culturally accurate African songs in seconds, which immediately resonated with test users.”
The investment wasn’t just about technology but about timing. Africa’s music scene is experiencing a global surge with Afrobeats dominating international charts, to streaming platforms recognizing the continent’s potential. KorinAI positions itself at the intersection of this cultural moment and technological advancement.
What’s coming with Korin AI isn’t just about helping artists; it could change how we think about creativity itself.
The platform may represent a new model for African technology: building solutions that serve local needs first, then expanding globally from a position of authentic strength.
Each song generated carries forward traditions that might otherwise remain locked in expensive studios or limited by resource constraints.
Every voice uploaded adds to a growing library of African expression. The AI learns not just patterns but the heartbeat of a continent’s musical soul.
For Olajide, the journey from frustrated artist to AI entrepreneur illustrates a larger truth about African innovation.
Sometimes the best solutions come not from trying to adapt global tools but from building something entirely new, rooted in local understanding and powered by innovative technology.
“The only limitation is in the mind,” he says, echoing the confidence of someone who refused to accept limitations and chose to build the future instead.
In Lagos apartments and Accra studios, in Nairobi recording spaces and Cape Town creative labs, a new generation of African artists is about to discover what happens when artificial intelligence meets authentic culture. The sound they create might change how the world hears Africa.
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