Exactly a week ago, on Sunday, June 7th, Baaba J brought the curtain down on her “In Pursuit of Happiness” era at NAFTI Studio III. This was the final stop of a run that had already touched Europe and Nigeria. For an artist who has been methodically building her world, Accra was always going to be the one that mattered most.
Despite a heavy downpour, the weather proved no match for her dedicated fanbase. Fans trooped into the venue with purpose, and there was something genuinely heartwarming about watching people navigate a wet Sunday night just to be in the room. When the crowd has already decided before the show starts, the artist has done something right.
The night kicked off with Fal3, who took her set with joyful confidence, effortlessly engaging a crowd that was instantly moved by her performance. Right after, S3kyerewaa took the stage. While media duties unfortunately kept me outside interviewing arriving patrons for most of her set, I walked back into the room just in time for her final song. The atmosphere was palpable; the crowd was in absolute awe, seemingly locked in a spellbound moment.
Following her was Tsie, an amazing talent who possesses an impeccable ability to tether a crowd to his music and his strings. He has a seamless way of swaying an audience. One moment, he is singing poignantly about love, grief, and life choices; the next, he is effortlessly switching to a hilarious yet brilliant song about his landlord. It was definitive, undeniable artistry.
One of the most beautiful observations of the night was looking through the crowd and spotting people pulling out their phones to either Shazam during performances or search for the artists directly on streaming platforms. Discovering an artist live at a concert, witnessing their power before you even know their catalogue, says everything about their stage presence. That kind of newfound love sticks forever.
When the room finally transitioned to welcome Baaba J, she chose to begin at the very beginning. Her entrance was soundtracked by “Baaba’s Song,” her appearance on 99Phaces‘ “So We Made A Tape”. That was the very beginning of her recorded life as an artist. The Ga at its core, “ajɔɔ wɔ kɛjɛ shishijee… shi how many will see”, translates as, “we’ve been blessed from the beginning, but how many will see”, carried the weight of someone who has been asking that question for years and is only now starting to hear the answer back. Bathed in a peak lighting setup, held the moment while the Musical Lunatics band held everything else. Every instrument, every cue, every breath of space between the notes with an impressive steadiness.
For anyone who remembers her first headline show in December 2023 at the Barndoor Beergarden, watching this 2026 show was a moment of pure, ecstatic pride. The evolution on sight was just undeniable. The voice, the stage presence, the ease with which she moved between performance and genuine connection with the crowd, was the kind of progression that makes you realise you are watching someone settle fully into themselves.
When the chords for “Sunshine” rang out, Baaba J paused to share an intimate moment with the crowd.
“I wrote this song in 2025, right? But at the time, I didn’t feel the sun shine on me,” she admitted with a big laugh. “But I feel it now, and I know y’all will feel it this year too. I mean, after doing my shows in Germany and Nigeria, and now wrapping it up here in Accra, I just know we will all have our sunshine.”
Throughout the night, you could feel and experience the immense growth in both her vocal control and her performance art. Her transitions were fluid, and her connection with the audience was pure cloud-nine energy.
A major highlight of the evening came after a run of earlier tracks and cuts from “In Pursuit of Happiness”, when she ignited the room with a heart-touching homage to the legendary Armah Pino, performing his iconic highlife track, “Maria.” Before delivering a rousing second performance of the song by popular demand, she paused to anchor its cultural importance:
“Naah… for real, these guys deserve a lot more respect for what they did. They were the culture, and they are our heritage. They didn’t do all these for us to put our culture second to others. We are our culture, the music and everything, and that is our best export. It doesn’t come second to any culture.”
The final portion of her set saw Baaba J diving back into her project, bringing out special guests to elevate the night’s collaborative spirit. Nigerian sensation Oladapo joined her on stage for a vibrant rendition of “Ah Well,” and Seyyoh came through with stellar energy during “Runaway.”
Once again, the impeccable lighting, seamless transitions, and electric crowd engagement peaked simultaneously. For an intimate session, it carried the grand, transcendent energy of a world-class international festival.
Catching up with Baaba J briefly after the curtains fell, she reiterated her overwhelming pride in how the night unfolded. Radiating happiness and fulfillment, she left us with one final, exciting revelation: she is officially ready to unleash her debut studio album, which is currently under construction. If this concert was any indication, the scene is in for something truly monumental.
