Cordillera cultural group seeks takedown of AI-remixed Salidummay songs

May 31, 2026 | 5:15pm

MANILA, Philippines — Dap-ayan ti Kultura iti Kordilyera (DKK), a cultural alliance in the Cordillera region, is demanding the immediate removal of unauthorized, artificial intelligence-generated remixes of their traditional songs from the music streaming platform Spotify.

In a public service announcement, DKK revealed that original Salidummay songs, including "Danum," "Pagay," and "Balay," were uploaded under a verified artist profile named "AI SALIDUMMAY" without their consent.

The alliance slammed the commercialization and monetization of the tracks, noting that the unauthorized profile can now officially earn profit from streams of Salidummay songs that are deeply rooted in indigenous struggle and advocacy.

"May we remind everyone that Salidummay's songs are created under the context of safeguarding our cultural heritage and defending our ancestral lands, not to profit from and commercialize our culture," the alliance said.

The group urged the creators behind "AI SALIDUMMAY" to take down the songs immediately, noting that no official dialogue has taken place between the two parties.

DKK is an alliance of cultural organizations and individuals in the Cordillera region advocating for the defense of indigenous land, life, resources and cultural heritage.

The group encouraged supporters to seek out the original tracks instead, majority of which are on YouTube, while pointing out that the official 1987 "Salidummay" album remains accessible on Spotify.

Broader OPM community alarm over AI

The issue comes as an addition to growing concerns within the local music landscape over the intrusion of generative AI on streaming platforms.

It can be recalled that last November, the Original Pilipino Music (OPM) community sounded the alarm after an "AI artist" named Lofi Town successfully broke into the Spotify Philippines' Daily Top Artists chart, sparking frustration among local hitmakers.

Prominent artists like Adie, Meriel de Jesus, TJ Monterde and Maki, previously criticized the trend, calling for respect for creators who write and record music from scratch, and warning that the replication of human artistry diminishes the value of the local music industry.

“Respeto na lang din sa mga artist na nagsulat, nag-record, at nag-promote sa mga kanta na ‘yan from SCRATCH,” Maki tweeted in November. 

“Grabe naman, kawawa ang sining,” commented singer-songwriter Adie.

While the previous charting controversy centered on AI-generated pop and rock covers, the case of the Salidummay tracks marks a shift from commercial pop music toward the unauthorized use of indigenous cultural songs for AI remixes and uploaded for possible streaming revenue.

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