They say be the change you want to see – Amaarae on Black Star

Days after the release of her highly-anticipated sophomore album, “Black Star,” Amaarae has responded to an online backlash from fans and Ghanaians who expressed disappointment over the lack of features from fellow Ghanaian artists.

The album’s title and rollout had led many to believe it would be a collaborative tribute to the nation’s music scene, and its final form has sparked a heated conversation on social media.

In a detailed response on X (formerly Twitter), the artist directly addressed the criticism, clarifying that the album is, in her words, “definitively ab my GH Identity & GH music through my lens.” She explained that the creative direction was not a slight to her peers but a deliberate artistic choice rooted in her vision for the future of Ghanaian music on a global scale.

Amaarae provided a track-by-track breakdown, illustrating how she incorporated Ghanaian genres into the album’s soundscape without relying on traditional collaborations. She referenced her Coachella performance as a prelude to the album’s direction, noting she played songs from La Même Gang, Eazzy, and the Asakaa Boys to signal her intention to lean into “Highlife/Asokpor, Azonto & Afro trap.”

The singer detailed her unique fusions, describing “Stuck Up” as a mix of Electro and Asokpor, while “SMO & FINESHYT” merges “80s highlife, Bacardi & zouk drums fused over Detroit club and euro dance.”

She also revealed that the percussive elements on “100DRUM” were inspired by “kpanlogo rhythms,” and that “FREE THE YOUTH is straight hip life and AZONTO w trap synths.”

Amaarae further explained her unconventional approach, sharing that she traveled to Brazil to learn from their ability to “continuously innovate and refresh their sound” with a limited number of drum patterns. This, she said, was a key lesson she wanted to apply to Ghanaian music.

The artist concluded her message by framing the album as a pioneering effort, “They say be the change you want to see & this was my interpretation of what I see for the next frontier of GH MUSIC from a Global perspective.”

Meanwhile, her sophomore album has received high praise outside the local scene with platforms as Pitchfork rating it a 8.8 atop her debut, “The Angel You Don’t Know”.

Jude Tackie, Ghana Music

A a pop-culture journalist highlighting the Ghanaian pop-culture and creative space through storytelling.

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