How a Filipino artist turns AI into a cultural instrument
Harlem Jude Ferolino is proof that technology bends to the hand that wields it. As executive director of Voice of the Youth Network and president of Certified Voice Artists Philippines Inc., he builds work that speaks to identity, community, and courage.
His Encantadia-inspired AI tracks have surged online-one of them going viral, catching the attention of fans and even the show's creators. The intent is simple: make music that sounds like it belongs to Filipinos, wherever they are.
The core idea: culture first, AI second
Ferolino treats AI like an instrument, not a shortcut. The soul of the song comes from story, emotion, and roots-AI just helps shape the texture.
"I've always believed music is a kind of spell-a language that carries memory and magic," he says. "If it doesn't move me first, I know it won't move others."
Why Encantadia?
"Encantadia" let him reframe fantasy through Filipino values-courage, kinship, and heritage. It's mythology in our own tongue, set to rhythms that feel ancestral.
Bayang Barrios' ethnic chant in the show's theme was a compass for him, echoing his Mindanaoan roots and the folk lineage of artists like Joey Ayala. That pulse shows up in his work-modern tools guided by indigenous sensibility.
The track that broke through
"Awit ng Lupa (Himig ni Danaya)" blends Filipino indigenous sounds with African and Latin tribal elements. It drew 1.4 million views and 5,000+ shares on Facebook, and sparked a TikTok dance trend.
He intentionally skipped specific character names or terms to make the song stand on its own. The goal: a track Filipinos would sing and dance to-fans or not.
His process, step by step
- Start with a concept: a line, a feeling, or the essence of a Sang'gre. Define the emotion first.
- Research the character, culture, and context. Pull references from folk music, chants, and modern production.
- Draft lyrics and melody. Use AI tools to explore variations on style, mood, tempo, and instrumentation.
- Iterate hard. Ten versions is common; some songs pass 80 before the right one sticks.
- Blend textures. Indigenous patterns meet African and Latin percussion for movement and depth.
- Edit for universality. Avoid franchise-specific terms if you want broader reach and fewer IP headaches.
- Ship with intention. Release where your audience lives-short-form video, streaming, and community pages.
What creatives can learn
- Use AI as a sketchpad, not a crutch. The artist is the heartbeat; the tool is the amplifier.
- Design from identity. Culture creates stickiness-sound like home and people will share it.
- Optimize for movement. Chants, percussion, and call-and-response travel fast on social.
- Test your ear, not the algorithm. If the track doesn't hit you, it won't hit the audience.
- Think distribution while composing. Hooks and drops that fit 10-20 seconds perform better on short video.
On AI's limits-and its promise
Ferolino is blunt: AI isn't the composer. It's like fire-dangerous if used carelessly, illuminating when used with purpose.
"AI will continue to be my tool, but the heart will always be human. The goal isn't to sound futuristic-it's to make the future sound Filipino."
What's next
He hopes to officially collaborate with the Encantadia universe or build original Filipino fantasy scores that merge myth, music, and machine under his label, Papa Lem Music. Think albums, stage shows, and digital collabs that honor folktales while writing new ones.
His north star is impact: if a young artist hears his work and thinks, "Pwede pala ito, kaya ko rin," the mission is working.
Apply this to your work
- Define the story, then choose the sound. Don't start in the DAW-start on paper.
- Prototype with AI, but keep one rule: emotion > output. Delete anything that feels hollow.
- Build a motif from your roots. A chant, a drum pattern, a proverb-let it guide the mix.
- Ship, study the response, refine. Momentum beats perfection.
"Don't chase the algorithm-chase the story. Learn the rules of technology, but master the language of emotion. AI will give you a thousand sounds, but only you can decide which one means something."
Want to sharpen your AI prompt craft?
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