Singer Adnan Sami on AI in music: 'Auto-tune is not cheating, it’s enhancing'

As the world celebrates the universal language of melody on World Music Day, celebrated artist Adnan Sami is cutting through the digital noise — with a hot take that’s as timely as it is bold.

“Auto-tune is like makeup,” Sami tells Gulf News.

“If we accept stuntmen in films and VFX on screen, why not use technology to polish a vocal track? It’s not cheating — it’s enhancing.”

The singer-composer, whose voice has defined a generation with classics like Lift Kara De and Tera Chehra, is currently preparing for his live concert at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena on June 29, organised by PME Events.

Ahead of his return to the UAE stage, Sami sat down with us for a wide-ranging interview — covering everything from AI’s growing influence on the arts to his eternal hunger for musical evolution.

“I’m extremely tech-savvy,” he says with a smile. “I’ve experimented with AI tools like ChatGPT — sometimes just for fun. I’ve had it write letters as if Ghalib, Ace Ventura, or even Marlon Brando were speaking.”

But the underlying message is serious: technology should serve the artist, not replace them.

“Tech is a brilliant tool. But it can never replicate soul. You can’t program passion. That’s why the roar of a live audience will always win — it’s electric, it’s real,” he says.

As he readies himself to light up Dubai’s largest indoor arena, Sami — who lived in the UAE for over a decade — says the city continues to inspire him.

“Dubai embraces everyone. Whether you’re South Asian, European or Arab, the city makes you feel at home. That energy, that multicultural audience, fuels me every time I perform here.”

When asked how he keeps reinventing himself in a time of algorithm-driven fame, viral trends and AI-generated hits, Sami’s response is humble but sharp:

“I still feel like a student. There’s so much to learn. And ironically, that hunger has only grown with time. When you’re young, you think you have forever. But now I’m more impatient than ever to create.”

That creative impatience has earned him a loyal fanbase — one that still hums his melodies, decades later.

“Some of my songs I underestimated ended up becoming iconic,” he admits. “You never really know which track will connect. You just follow your instinct and hope it resonates.”

In an age of fleeting trends and short attention spans, Adnan Sami’s enduring music offers something rare: emotional connection.

And while tech continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in music, Sami reminds us that authenticity still matters.

“If someone with zero talent relies entirely on auto-tune, that’s a problem. But if you’re using it to finesse a performance — that’s like putting on makeup before going on camera. It’s presentation, not deception.”

As his Dubai concert draws near, anticipation is building. And if this conversation is anything to go by, Adnan Sami is not just here to perform — he’s here to start conversations about music, meaning, and modern creativity.

The full interview drops later this week on Gulf News — stay tuned.