Peking Duk Playfully Take Aim At Australian Radio With AI Re-Record

Peking Duk

Peking Duk seem to have grown tired with the radio airplay charts lacking organic, homegrown cuts near the top, jokingly utilising AI as part of their plan for more airplay.

Taking to social media this week, the Canberra duo – comprising Adam Hyde (aka Keli Holiday) and Reuben Styles – shared a new version of their breakthrough single, 2014’s High.

However, instead of the classic vocals from Nicole Millar (“I’ve officially been replaced,” Millar writes on social media) which took the song to No. 5 on the Australian charts, and No. 2 on triple j’s Hottest 100, it features some AI-assisted vocals instead.

As the soulless singer offers their own rendition, Hyde and Styles can be seen cheering and celebrating their newfound way to the top.

“When you re-record your own song with AI so Australian radio will play it,” text on the clip reads, while the pair’s caption simply says, “Can’t believe we didn’t think of it sooner.”

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The creation appears to be a not-so sly dig at Josh Fawaz, the Australian producer whose rework of Madonna’s Like A Prayer has been the most played local track on Australian radio for weeks now.

However, this success was not without controversy. Notably, Australian producer Mitch Thomas otherwise known as Needs No Sleep, took to social media to share a video in which he labelled Fawaz "the biggest issue in music right now" and alleging that his music "is generated entirely with AI".

Fawaz responded in the comments of Thomas' video, telling him to "stop having a little sook" and admitting that he uses "AI as a tool" in pursuit of "providing my listeners with good music", but did not specifically address claims that his rework of Like A Prayer is AI-generated.

Earlier this month, Fawaz appeared to silently address the controversy when the track’s Spotify credits were updated, now stating that Generative AI was used for both drums and vocals on the song.

Regardless, the track is still the most-played Australian song on local radio, currently sitting in the No. 3 position – directly behind Alex Warren's Fever Dream and Taylor Swift's I Knew It, I Knew You, and one place higher than G Flip's Bed On Fire.

Earlier this year, Peking Duk also announced they’ll be releasing their long-awaited debut album, Paradise, in August. Presumably, no AI has been used for that one.