16 GHANAIAN ARTISTES CHAT GPT WON’T TELL YOU ABOUT
Writer Aba Forson compiles a list of emerging Ghanaian artists.
Writer Aba Forson compiles a list of emerging Ghanaian artists.
A standard search on the trusted AI platform, Chat GPT, would pull up a number of Ghanaian music artists who are very well known both nationally and internationally. Names like Sarkodie, Shatta Wale, Stonebwoy, M.anifest,Kidi, Efya and Becca would naturally pop up. These music acts have undoubtedly worked hard and paid their dues to be recognised both across the country and the globe. There are however many other talented acts who have not been as fortunate to receive the international or even national recognition their works deserve. You may never come across these talented individuals until a Ghanaian national introduces you to them. Hence let us introduce you to 16 Ghanaian artists you should know.
Worlasi
The first on the list is an avant-garde artist whose talents and skills ought to be appreciated more, both locally and internationally. Worlasi hails from the Volta region of the country and he proudly represents his culture and language in all his music. With beats that replicate the soulfull mystic rhythm of the ewe local drums, the singer and rapper creates an authentic sound that combines historical culture and contemporary art. He uses the ewe language, Ghanaian English and Pidgin English to stylistically convey his main messages to his audience. His latest ep titled ‘The Angry African’ released in 2023 consists of 6 songs that laments on the African’s troubling experience using immense creative prowess. Some albums that have gained most recognition over the years are ‘The.Rap.Y’ (2023), ‘The Angry African’(2023) and ‘Worla, The Man and God’ (2019). His fandom “ Worlarmy” have shown much appreciation for his hit songs “ We all go Die”, “ Mawuena” and his feature with Manifest “100 percent.”
Moliy
Molly Ama Montgomery, popularly known as Moliy, is a Ghanaian- American singer-songwriter. Moliy is another expressive and evocative young artist, who brings a feminine narrative to the current Ghanaian music scene. She is referred to as an ‘Alte’ or Alternative afrobeats artist. This genre of music is a sidestep to contemporary Afrobeats, as it combines rhythms from RnB, Pop, Blues with contemporary Afrobeats. Her vocals and lyrics coupled with impressive beats and strategic collaborations bring out the best of music that is widely received in our generation. Her strategic feature in Amarae’s ‘Sad Girlz Luv money’ placed her on a path towards worldwide recognition. Over the years, she has released songs with Kali Uchis, M.anifest among others, showcasing her versatility and ability to work with artistes in different genres of music. Her recent body of work titled ‘Wondergirl’ gave her massive recognition not only in Ghana, but Kenya as well. ‘9 To 5’, ‘Calendar’ and ‘Deja Vu’ are a few of her top songs.
Marince Omario
Marince Omario is a Ghanaian rapper whose style sets him apart from his rapping peers. Marince chooses to rap solely in Ga ( the native language of Southern Ghana), mixing genres between trap, rap and some drill. His intelligent play on words creating a double entendre is stylistically appreciated because it is done in an interesting and relatively difficult language. Marince Omario has a large music portfolio consisting of songs like ‘Prodigy’, ‘Remind me’, ‘Gbonyo party’ amongst others. For the rap and drill lovers, Marince Omario is one to be listened to.
Pure Akan
Pure Akan is another charismatic and authentic artist whose name needs to go beyond the borders of the country. He is primarily a rapper who occasionally sings on some of his works. He is referred to as a ‘linguist’ by Thomas Moore- Ayaang of PAM. With his signature usage of Twi, a primary dialect of the Akan people (one of the country's main ethnic groups), Pure Akan represents the rich dialect and culture that ought to be recognised in the Ghanaian music industry. After the release of his debut EP ‘Akan’ in 2015 and his 2017 project ‘Onipa Akoma’, Pure Akan became well-known as a fresh new face in the industry. Aside from his well received albums, Pure Akan boasts of many popular singles such as “ Aprodoo” and “ Auntie Bete”. Given his ability to blend lyrical storytelling with traditional Ghanaian rhythms, his work gained cultural significance, distinguishing him from his contemporaries. He was dubbed an "instant classic" and a “must listen '' artist. The artist embraced a holistic acceptance of his culture and used that to transform his image and music to appreciate and propagate an ‘Akan’ initiative.
Baaba J
Baaba J is another female artist who has gathered a lot of buzz recently. Her music has a beautiful blend of soul, pop, rap and alte, all under the afrobeat genre. Baaba J’s main message, shared through her music(lyrics and sound), speaks on how one can be unconventional yet achieve their goals. Baaba J performs in English, Pidgin and Ga, representing the Ga and youthful communities. In 2020, she released ‘Lumumba Street’ which acted as an impressive introductory EP. She has also performed spectacularly on many platforms such as the MiM Life Concert and the Accra Indie Film Festival, where she won the hearts of many. “Okay Baby Let’s Do This” is Baaba J’s most recent album. It consists of seven tracks with ‘227’ and ‘Ole’ emerging as the album’s most listened to. Her latest single “Sunshine” uses both English and Ga to talk about love with the umbrella metaphor of the weather: rain and sunshine.
Ayisi
Hit ‘Grind’ songwriter Ayisi, is a Ghanaian Afro-pop, Hip Hop and Highlife musician. The artist’s intentional use of punches and catchy lyrics makes his music a constant on every Dj’s playlist. Ayisi’s unusual use of instruments mimic a traditional band’s performance highlighting an authentic ‘Africanness’ in many of his songs. His music is mostly done in Ga, Akan and in Pidgin English like his Southern counterparts. Ayisi is said to be influenced by inspirational Bob Marley and talented Eminem. These two influences are vividly seen in ‘Anger Management’ and ‘ Grind’ respectively. Other hit songs birthed by this artist are ‘Can I live’, ‘Stronger than Ever’ and ‘Mokole’.
Ko-Jo Cue
Another artist Ghanaians proudly rave about is visionary artiste Ko-Jo Cue. Ko-Jo Cue is an Afro-pop and Highlife artist, who is largely influenced by legendary Ghanaian highligh-er, Obrafour. He has released songs such as ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’, ‘Dzo’ and ‘Dua’. Ko-Jo Cue’s songs, mostly performed in Akan or Pidgin, talk about varying life issues and lessons, as characteristic of the Akan culture. He has worked with the likes of KelvynBoy and JoeyB.
Kirani Ayat
Kirani Ayat’s music and style are described as both ‘different’ and ‘bold’. The Hausa performer and artiste has managed to gather attention to himself through his energetic performance style and interesting fashion sense. Ayat’s music is best described as a combination of trap, afrobeats and alternative afrobeats. Despite the country’s unconscious tendency to not support artists from the Northern part of the country, Ayat has managed to compile a large and influential collaborator’s list; working alongside Sarkodie, Manifest, E.L, Edem, Suli Breaks and Medikal. ‘Muntashi’, ‘Guda’, ‘Kudi’ are just a few songs from Ayat’s collection.
Mr. Drew
The Ghanaian Justin Bieber, Mr. Drew, is both skilled in music and in dance. Just as his Canadian counterpart, Mr Drew expresses exceptional talents in his highlife and afrobeats songs, as well as his self- choreographed moves we see in his music videos. The highlife/ afrobeats artist gained popularity after his hit songs “Dw3” with Sarkodie and “Later” with Kelvyn Boy were released. Mr. Drew is largely recognized for his catchy songs, lively beats and energetic performances. After his introduction to the Ghanaian music industry, Mr. Drew has worked with the likes of Adina, Medikal, Sefa and Sarkodie.
Sɛkyerewaa
Neo soul and Afro soul singer-songwriter, Sɛkyerewaa is a fresh and innovative addition to the Ghanaian music industry. The young soulful artist combines her African identity, through Afrobeats, with the RnB genre to create an interesting sound gaining popularity in Africa, called Neo soul. Her talent is undoubtedly one that should be welcomed to the world music scene. Sɛkyerewaa has released masterpieces like ‘Martyrs’ and ‘SomeDay’.
Olivetheboy
TGMA ‘Best New Artist’ nominee Olivetheboy has gathered some considerable attention to himself after his trending hit ‘Asylum.’ The artist’s recent hit has found itself in the Apple Music Top 100: Ghana, currently holding second place. The twenty-one year old artist specializes in afrobeat sounds that serve as the perfect party music for anytime of the day. He has worked with the likes of Murphy McCarthy, Beatzvampire and Reekado Banks. After only three solid years in the music industry, OlivetheBoy has managed to make a big enough impact to get his name and talent to reach a large number of people. With guidance and support from his record label,Bu Vision Entertainment, he is sure to make a bigger name for himself in years to come.
Kofi Kinaata
Fante rapper, Kofi Kinaata, does have some national recognition for his peculiar use of the Fante language (main language of a group of Akans, called Fante people) and traditional African proverbs. His lyrical agility is seen clearly through his use of unique rhyme schemes and expert use of the local language to carry a message to his audience. Kofi Kinaata is referred to as a philosopher musician by some, as most of his songs address the ills of the society while suggesting a normative view of society. ‘Things Fall Apart’ and ‘ Thy Grace’ for instance look at the fallen standard of Christianity and hospitality in the country. Other hits from the philosopher artist are ‘Adam and Eve’, ‘Single and Free’, ‘Sweetie Pie’ and recent single ‘Effiakuma Broken Heart.’
Cina Soul
Cina Soul, as her alias suggests, is a soul, RnB and highlife Ghanaian musician. She is a talented singer whose identity is based solely off her impressive and diverse vocal range and strength. This striking attribute of the artist has placed her on many stages and concerts such as the ‘Allianz Awards’ and the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards. Cina Soul performs mostly in English and her native language Ga. Her songs and performances are said to be influenced by Whitney Houston, due to the similarity in voice texture. ‘Body Medicine’, ‘Ojorley’ and ‘Jamestown’ are songs that she has released that must be listened to!
Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta
Now, for the gospel lovers, Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta is an artist to be sought after. Nana Yaw, popularly known as ‘Oneman1000’, is a young gospel artist who was first introduced to the music scene after his TikTok viral collab song “You dey feel the vibe.” Oneman1000's creative decision to use the youthful language, Pidgin and slang, is an interesting one that seems to make him a youthful favorite, as many artists in his industry ultimately avoid the language. Since his trending song, ‘Oneman1000’ has toured the United States, released several other bangers such as ‘Owanwani’ and ‘No One.’ He has collaborated with the Oasis Gathering to host several live performances across the nation. His unique style and versatility allows him to blend different genres keeping his fans captivated and at the same time attracting new followers.
Louis Pascal
Louis Pascal is another gospel artist making waves across the country. His music is centered around the Love of God and how much the believer benefits from that. The artist’s main genres are HipHop and Afro Pop. His beats make danceable tunes for anyone looking for songs for gospel choreography. With songs like ‘It has happened’, ‘Somersault’ and ‘Far Away’ , Louis Pascal has taken over social media especially TikTok with danceable trends.
Adasamma
As some may already know, the Ghanaian music industry was built off the likes of Obrafour, Daddy Lumba and Nana Acheampong who took the country into a highlife frenzy. Adasamma, a much admired group of about six men, continues this legacy. The group produces soulful melodies and deep rhythms that replicate highlife melodies in an interesting manner that creates an authentic sound called Highlife Fusion. The influence of the band goes beyond the borders of the country, as the band has been on numerous tours in Europe. Currently they are preparing for an European tour dubbed ‘Influence’. Adasamma boasts of numerous singles such as ‘ Influence’, ‘ Highlife Fusion’ and ‘One Step At a Time’, as well as a soulful album titled ‘Influence’.
To conclude, while Ghanaian music boasts of internationally acclaimed stars like Sarkodie, Shatta Wale, and Stonebwoy, there still exists a rich tapestry of talent waiting to be discovered. Beyond the spotlight, countless artists are crafting exceptional music that deserves recognition. Through the efforts of dedicated fans and advocates, these hidden gems can shine, further enriching Ghana's vibrant musical landscape.
Aba Forson is a passionate young creative and journalistic writer. Born and bred in Accra, Ghana, she found a deep love for her country and its culture which she shares through her works. Aba earned her Bachelor's degree at the University of Ghana, in English and Political Science (First Class Honors) with a specialization in Creative Writing.
