OPM Hitmen defends the human heart of music against AI

The OPM Hitmen and Juan Angelo Arenas (second from right) launch a new partnership focused on concerts, collaborations, and live shows

Rannie Raymundo, Chad Borja, and Richard Reynoso, collectively known as OPM Hitmen, are not afraid of artificial intelligence, but they are wary of what happens when technology starts replacing the human hands, voices, and emotions behind music.

Speaking with Manila Standard Entertainment, Raymundo, Borja, and Reynoso shared their views on AI during their recent contract signing with EchoJham Entertainment Productions, stressing that technology should complement musicians rather than erase them.

Richard Reynoso, Rannie Raymundo, and Chad Borja consider AI as a tool for artists, not a replacement for real voices and emotion 

Raymundo believes that AI can be useful as a creative tool, but it should never become a shortcut.

“AI should be a tool, not a crutch. It shouldn’t be a shortcut,” Raymundo said.

He pointed to the years of work that go into creating a melody, developing chord progressions, and writing lyrics, something AI can now produce within minutes after receiving a simple prompt.

“You say, ‘I want a love song, let’s make it hip-hop,’ and five minutes later, you have one,” he relayed. “That’s sad. But then again, the world is evolving.”

Raymundo said AI could also affect singers, musicians, and recording professionals if producers begin relying on generated sounds instead of hiring people.

Still, he believes the human element of music cannot be replicated.

“No system created by humans can replace the raw emotion of someone writing a song,” he asserted. “It’s more satisfying and more fulfilling when you know you created everything yourself.”

Raymundo also pointed to the growing number of AI-generated versions of existing songs, including his own “Why Can’t It Be,” which he has encountered in rap, hip-hop, jazz, and even metal versions.

He sees a more constructive use for AI, such as helping artists explore arrangements.

“If it’s used as a tool, for example, to ask what a good arrangement would be, that’s OK with me,” he said.

Reynoso viewed AI as a challenge for composers and singers to sharpen their craft.

“It’s a challenge for composers to do better, to create and improve the songs they release,” he enthused. “It’s also a challenge for singers to improve their craft.”

But he drew the line at the emotional core of music.

“No matter how many versions there are, AI cannot humanize the making of a song,” Reynoso said. “It cannot capture the feeling of a real Filipino and how we put that into music.”

He cited generations of Filipino musicians and composers who helped shape OPM, saying their musical legacy cannot simply be replicated by a machine.

“The machine has no heart,” he said.

Reynoso also raised concerns about the data used to train AI systems, arguing that artists and music organizations should investigate whether musicians whose voices and work are used to create AI-generated material should receive royalties.

Borja, meanwhile, acknowledged that AI is already part of the music landscape.

“There’s nothing we can do about it because it’s already here,” he said. “What we can do is use it.”

He noted that AI-generated music can use an artist’s voice and apply it to different genres, but he believes this also demonstrates why human performers remain essential.

The biggest advantage for artists, Borja said, is live performance, something technology cannot fully reproduce.

“That’s where AI cannot compete,” he said.

The three OPM icons recently signed with EchoJham Entertainment Productions, headed by Juan Angelo Arenas. The partnership promises to include concerts, special performances, collaborations, and other projects. — Nickie Wang