We are excited to announce the next edition of Music Matters, entitled “Who Owns the Future? Black Music, Al, and the
Digital Colour Line” presented by Yvonne Ile. The talk will take place on Thursday April 24th in Heymanszaal from 17:00-18:30.

This talk is the second in the series “Future Sounds” which focuses on how AI and the shift toward right-wing politics across Europe and the US, are shaping both the future of the music industry and artistic expression more broadly. We are delighted to have DPhil Music Candidate and Lecturer in Popular Music Industry Studies, Yvonne Ile as our second speaker.

Please see below for the abstract and further details:

ABSTRACT: This talk investigates the evolving relationship between Black music and artificial intelligence, examining how digital technologies shape its future. It explores the implications of AI on Black musical expression, considering questions of ownership, representation, and cultural authenticity in an increasingly algorithm-driven industry.

BIO: Yvonne Ile is an artist and a doctoral candidate in Music at the University of Oxford, where she is the first Black student to pursue a DPhil in the subject. Her research examines Blackface Minstrelsy, Black British Music, Music and AI, and Cultural Appropriation. As a musician, her art is deeply influenced by the cultural legacies she studies, blending contemporary sounds with her deep African roots.

We are excited to announce the next edition of Music Matters, entitled “Oral Tradition and AI” presented by Rahel Aklilu from EMI Records. The talk will take place on Thursday March 20th in Marie Loke zaal from 17:00-18:30.

This talk is the first in the series “Future Sounds” which focuses on how AI and the shift toward right-wing politics across Europe and the US, are shaping both the future of the music industry and artistic expression more broadly. We are delighted to have writer and Music Industry professional Rahel Aklilu as our first speaker.

Please see below for the abstract and further details:

ABSTRACT: Oral tradition, archiving and documentation of culture have undoubtedly evolved. As we move towards digital documentation (which is evolving in itself) the role of oral tradition holds greater importance in preserving the music and culture we consume and enjoy, which serve as living archives of our times. Artificial intelligence can, and has been used to both aid and disrupt these traditions but what does the future look like? We will look at the overlap between technology, tradition and community and how they affect narrative.

BIO:


Rahel Aklilu is a London-based freelance writer and music industry professional. Her work encompasses a range of topics within music, culture and fashion with a focus on amplifying work in the Black diaspora and beyond, often through the lens of socio-politics. Publications she has written for include The Face, Dazed, Complex UK, Clash and Vice.