I did a performance at Republic Hall and
it was very terrible.
They pulled me off the stage, they wanted
me to leave and yes, I remember crying
when I went backstage.
[MUSIC] There is something about a phone call.
No cameras, no studio, just two people.
A connection and whatever truth sits between them.
I am Donald and this is On The
Line.
Today I called Gyakie.
Yes, the girl from Kumasi who turned the
campus dream into an international movement.
Daughter of a legend, I have to emphasise
on that.
But building her own name, one honest lyric
at a time.
I have been a fan since 2019.
A song called Never Like This found me
when I was going through the mill and
it hit me so different, we'll talk about
it.
So I had to tell her that story.
Let's see where this call takes us.
[PHONE RINGS] Hello?
Hi Gyakie, can you hear me?
Yeah.
How are you doing?
I'm doing good, how are you?
I'm doing good man, it's good to hear
from you today.
How's the day been so far?
It's been amazing.
Right, I can tell from your voice that
it's been really good.
So before I go ahead to say anything
else, I'm going to actually sing a song.
It's your song actually, but it's a song
that actually made me get to know your
music.
And I'm going to perform some real acapella
right now.
I don't have the best of the voices,
but I'll try.
So...
Okay.
Yeah.
Oh, you can join me in singing please.
I'm not good with my trees, so forgive
me.
Right, yes.
So this is actually the song that actually
got me to know your music and I
actually fell in love with your music with
this.
And this was as far back as 2019
June, I think it was in June if
I'm right.
Yeah, you're right.
So the main way I actually got to
find this particular music, it was on a
sad note actually.
And I'm going to tell you, yes, I'm
going to tell you the story of how
I heard the song.
And you know that funny thing about music
where it finds you in your most vulnerable
state.
Like yes, when you're actually really vulnerable and
all of a sudden it hits you.
So I was actually going through it because
like if I say going through it, you
should know how I mean with a broken
heart and songs.
Yeah, I was actually going through it that
time and this music actually found me and
that was how I got to discover your
music.
That's how it works, right?
Music finds you when you are not looking
for it, when you need it the most.
But I wanted to know when Gyakie writes,
is she pulling it from her own pain
or is she writing for ours?
I want to ask you, what is it
about your music with how you actually compose
it?
Is it directly from your experiences, personal experiences
or is it based off of stories that
you believe other people would actually blend to
it, like would understand it?
Most of the time it has to do
with something that I'm going through at that
time, that I'm in the studio or a
past experience or sometimes I just love to
write stories.
I write a storyline that I believe maybe
if a listener is going through that particular
experience, they would be able to relate to
the song.
So I could write a song about life
in general.
Maybe at that particular time, I'm not going
through a situation, but I just write the
story in a way that it will fit
into the listener's real life story as well.
Yeah.
Because I personally feel like most artists actually
write about love music.
They try to put our lyrics on love
and emotions and all that.
But with the kind of distinct thing you
put into your music, the unique angle, I
just want to understand what the angle is.
Whenever you make music, whenever you actually go
into the studio to record, what is the
first thing that actually comes to mind before
you make the music for your audience?
The first thing that comes into my mind
before I record music.
I need to read the question again.
Okay.
So let's say you have a song written
down, right?
And you believe the song is actually going
to your fans.
You know how your fans move and how
they love your music and everything.
What is that one thing that comes into
mind in terms of the pitch, in terms
of the style, the tone and everything to
get the music together and put it out
there for your fans?
Right.
Most of the time, I'm able to write
music really well when I fall in love
with the beats.
Okay.
So I'm able to pick a lot of
influences from the production.
And when I keep listening to the beat
over and over again, that is where I'm
able to know what I want to talk
about, how I want it to go.
And sometimes I even involve myself in the
production as well.
So there we have it.
She actually writes from experience, but she also
writes with intention, crafting stories that can hold
somebody else's truth.
That's made me curious.
With all that honesty in her pen, has
she ever written something too personal to release?
Let me ask you this interesting question.
Have you ever actually held back a song,
like maybe you recorded a song and you
felt like this song is very too personal
or too vulnerable to release?
And how does that debate in your mind
look like?
Brush me through that feeling.
How does it feel like?
Well, I have a couple of songs that
are extremely intimate.
It's like for bedroom activities, those have not
come out yet.
I feel like I need to tap into
a very, very bold realm for those tracks
to come out.
So those are some records that after I
finished making, I was like, let me hold
on to this for a while because it's
too explicit.
Yeah.
So those are the kind of tracks I'm
still holding.
Hey, please don't hold those.
Some of us are waiting for those kind
of songs.
Don't do that.
We're waiting for the songs, you know, but
okay, let's play some fun, interesting game.
Like, can you actually sing like two lines
out of a particular song like that?
So we get to know how, you know,
come on.
My people would like to hear that.
We would hear it at the right time.
Yeah.
Yes.
What an interesting way to find out.
She is holding the heat.
Bedroom music.
She's not ready to share yet.
I respect that.
But the music she has released like the
After Midnight album.
Now that's where I wanted to go next.
Specifically, a collaboration I didn't see coming.
Let's come to After Midnight.
I've listened to After Midnight a couple of
times, and one of the features I wasn't
expecting was with Omar Sterling.
And to be honest, I listened to Omar
Sterling a lot.
And when I heard him on Y2K, I
was like, oh no, like my two people
on one favourite song.
How did it happen?
Like, I'm very curious.
Yeah, I have been a, I had payday
fan.
Exactly.
You know, from the payday days, like I'm
actually jazzy, but it's very funny how I
really follow Omar Sterling from back in the
days.
I really love him actually.
Yes.
I love the fact that you like him
as well.
That means our energies is right.
Exactly.
Yes.
I've been a fan of his music.
I've always wanted to, you know, jump on
a record.
I do have a song with R2B, but
it wasn't with Payday only.
That was Need Your Love.
That dropped in, I think, 2022.
I was always yearning for a record with
Omar Sterling, and I knew it was going
to happen at the right time.
Yeah.
So I did the record already.
We didn't do it together.
I did the record and then big shouts
to Ultra Nova.
He produced it.
So when I finished, I was trying to
see which rapper would actually sit so well
on it.
And he was the first name that came
to mind.
So I reached out to him.
We went to his studio, played him the
track, and he was in love with it.
So he recorded his verse right there that
evening as well.
And then the track was brought to life.
Wow.
That's very interesting.
And there's one thing I actually noticed with
that particular record, is the fact that you
sampled your father's song, Music Legend, and now
it's Champon.
And how did that hit you, like, after
you were done with the song?
Because I want to find out the reason
why you actually sampled that particular song from
your father.
What was the inspiration behind that?
Okay.
So now the name of the song is
Y2K Love, which is the year 2000, which
is old school, which is vintage, which is
nostalgia.
Now the sample coming in was me trying
to sprinkle some creativity, you know, okay, the
song is done, but what can we also
add or take out to make people really
feel that nostalgia?
I wanted to make that track really feel
old school.
Right.
It actually really felt old school.
And the mix was actually crazy.
Big ups to the person who had done
that.
I really like it so much.
Yes, absolutely.
So sampling my dad's song on it just
made so much sense because, I mean, we
don't have a separate record on the album.
So it was only right.
So I called my dad and then, you
know, I did the necessary things that had
to be done.
Yeah.
The musical memory and all that.
We had to go through it.
Yes.
And then we were able to have a
sample done and it sounded so, so perfect.
So yes, Y2K of that album, I must
admit, is one song I truly love.
And sampling her father's music, collaborating with her
favourite rapper, that's legacy meets an ambition.
But there was another feature of the album
that even caught her off guard.
Let's find out.
Looking at the album after Midnight, were there
any collaborations in there that actually surprised you,
even until now, how they turned out?
That will be Party Galore with Kojo Radikal.
When I sent him the song and he
sent his best, I was asking myself why
would you, why would you do this to
me on the song?
Why?
Is it in terms of the delivery?
In terms of the flow?
He killed his verse.
So his verse is like a whole different
song on its own.
Oh yeah.
That guy, that guy is treacherous.
So I was so, so, so like hyped
when I heard his verse.
He really puts in a lot, even with
the backings that he did.
He actually carried the whole song.
His verse is my favourite song on Party
Galore, that record, yeah.
She is collaborating with her best, but Gyakie
didn't get her by accident.
She came up with an industry that doesn't
always make space for women.
I wanted to know what that journey has
really been like.
So I went ahead to ask her.
There's this notion about women in music right
here in Ghana.
And I want to understand from your perspective
as a female artist right here in Ghana,
how has the journey been for you so
far?
I've had an interesting one.
I've had a very interesting journey from being
on campus and doing music and school and
also having to move around a lot because
I live in Kumasi.
So I always had to be going on
to the other regions, you know, to promote
my music and all of that.
And being a female, like you mentioned as
well, it takes some extra efforts to do
certain things because, you know, it's really male
dominated and people, people, I feel like people
don't really pay attention to the females as
much as they do.
You know, like I'm not the only person
that has dropped a project.
We have other female artists that have dropped
albums and EPs.
They've done shows, but their attention is not
as heavy, you know, as it is.
But yeah.
That's actually true.
Now back to, you mentioned you schooled at
KNUST and during your entire journey at Tech,
did you actually have difficulty in performances on
campus?
Because as a student of Lagon back then,
like it was actually quite difficult for, you
know, students to put out their stuff there,
like as female artists, you know, I wasn't
really seeing female artists actually hit the stage
and all that.
But how was that journey for you back
in Tech?
Like, were you having that kind of, you
know, environment where people were receptive to your
music coming up as an artist?
When I dropped my first song, Love is
Pretty, I did a performance at Republic Hall
and it was very terrible.
Why was it terrible?
They pulled me off the stage.
They wanted me to leave.
And yes, I remember crying when I went
backstage, but the reception on the grounds in
terms of online, when the song dropped, you
know, my classmates, some of the people I
knew on campus, the reception was very, very
amazing.
But I remember very well, Republic Hall week,
when I went to perform and I was
pulled off the stage by so many people
in that crowd.
Wow.
Now that crowd, we actually have to look
for each and every one of them, put
them in the front row when you're performing,
because they have to understand now what we're
going through right now, what we are doing
on stage and everything.
They need to understand.
Absolutely.
Yeah, they really need to understand.
But I'm so sorry about that.
But I mean, that actually helped in shaping
your craft to be to be a better
musician now that we appreciate you so much.
And yeah.
So have you ever experienced any moments as
a female artist that like, aside school, right?
Because you've actually spoken about that.
So right now, main stage, Gyakie's everywhere.
Everybody's loving your music and everything.
Have you ever felt uncomfortable in a way
that you had to navigate differently because you
were a woman and you were trying to
put your voice out there through your music?
Can you be specific with any moments aside
like what you actually experienced through school?
As in if I've had an awkward experience?
Yes, an awkward experience.
As a female artist?
Yes.
No, not really.
I don't think I've had that, you know,
the kind of things that people do talk
about.
I've not experienced it yet.
I wouldn't wish that on anybody, you know,
but it's just maybe the only difference would
be I just feel like females also need
to get the same type of energy that
is given to, you know, male artists as
well, because the girls are also working very
hard.
The girls work really, really hard.
Yeah.
So I think that's the only thing when
it comes to being a female artist.
Yes, I must admit the ladies out here
making good music work really, really hard.
But to be pulled off stage, cried backstage
and still kept going.
That's the part people don't see, the moments
before the spotlight finds you.
So I ask her, for the women coming
up now, what's the real advice she has
for them?
So speaking about the girls working hard, right?
There are a lot of, you know, upcoming
female musicians and all that, you being Gyakie
now, what advice would you actually give to
female artists, you know, coming up here in
Ghana?
My advice I'll give to female artists is
don't settle for less, and don't be sleeping
with people you work with.
Don't be doing that.
Don't be sleeping with people you are working
with, whether you're a producer, your manager, your
team, your creative director, anybody that you have
a working relationship with.
Yes, okay.
So if your manager is your husband and
there's a working relationship, that one, then?
I mean, you know, that one is a
different situation.
Yeah, it's a different situation.
The ones where you as a female, you
feel like you want to do that in
exchange of getting a slot on stage, or
in exchange of getting a song produced for
you for free, or in exchange of being
invited to a certain event.
If that is your mentality, it is not.
You are going to have trouble in the
future.
So you need to really don't settle for
less.
And if you have the talent, there's a
reason you have it.
You just have to keep doing it.
I know sometimes it sounds annoying to say
keep doing it, but really and truly, the
only thing is to just keep doing it.
And not settle for less.
Don't settle for anything less.
Yeah.
I do side with her on this one.
Nobody should settle to be a denominator.
Straight talk, no filter.
That's Gyakie.
But before I let her go, I had
to ask, what does she really want people
to hear when they listen to After Midnight?
What is one thing with After Midnight, the
album, that you wish more people would actually
pay attention to or talk about when it
comes to After Midnight?
The lyrics.
I think people need to see the kind
of efforts I put in my songwriting.
Because most of the songs on the album,
I wrote myself.
I did have a few co-writers on
two or three tracks, but the majority of
the songs on the album I wrote.
And I think people need to just not
listen to the tracks.
But also pay attention to the lyrics because
there's some storylines in there.
There's words of motivation.
You know, there's love songs.
There's a gospel track as well.
And yeah, so they should basically listen and
enjoy, but also pay attention to the lyrics
as well.
That is very interesting to know.
She wrote most of the songs on her
album.
That is true pen game.
The lyrics.
That's what she wants you to catch.
We wrapped up with some fun stuff.
What's she listening to right now and what's
coming next?
Here's what she had to say.
Let me ask you a fun thing.
What are you listening to right now aside
your very own music you make?
Are there any, you know, artists in Ghana
here, both, you know, underground and, you know,
up there?
In Ghana here, currently I'm actually going to
my music app right now as we're talking
so that I can give you like real
time.
In Ghana, I'm actually loving, I don't know
if you know this lady called, what's her
name?
Please give me a second.
Hold on.
A second, a second, a second.
I got you.
I have all the time for you.
I'm waiting.
Oh, how could I forget your name, girl?
Well, anyways, I'm not remembering her name and
I'm trying to check the list, but I
don't know where her name has gone to.
Yeah, that's fine.
Can you perform any of her lyrics if
you remember any?
I think I'm under pressure right now, so
my mind is blank.
Oh, relax, relax for me, relax for me.
Yes, yes.
So there's a lot of good new artists
that have come out.
Yeah.
Oh, jeez, I need to find her name.
Yes, she's called Ria Boss.
Oh, okay.
I'll look her up.
Please, you need to.
Ria Boss, you would love Ria Boss if
you love like Sade.
Oh yeah, I listen to Sade too.
Yes, if you love Adele.
She is a very, very soulful R&B
and her live performances are very, very strong.
Wait, can you help me with the spelling
of her name?
Let me try and look her up.
Yeah, R-I-A-B-O-S-S
Boss.
Okay, yeah.
Ria Boss, yeah, yeah.
Listen to her song called...
Oh, she's from Paris.
Somali, her song called Somali Girl.
Okay, I will check her out.
I mean, we have kind of a similar
taste in music, so I know you're putting
me on game.
Yes.
Yeah, I'll check her out.
She is really good.
Recently too, I chanced on one guy that
I loved his music as well.
So all these names are leaving my head
right now.
We have some good, good, good talents out
here.
Yeah, that's nice to hear that you're listening
to these very good artists out there.
But before you leave, can you give us
a sneak peek of what you're working on
for this year, what we should expect?
Yes, so the album, like I said, 17
tracks is a lot of work.
We're not done with the album.
We're still pushing it.
Oh, so there's an album coming.
Look at you, I'm talking about the same
album.
Right, right.
I thought you were talking about a different
album.
Wow, you guys want me to breathe?
Yeah, we are on your necks for good
music.
We are on your necks for good music.
Yeah, right, right.
Understandable.
Anyways, I'm talking about the After Midnight album.
We're still shooting videos.
Videos, oh, okay.
A visualiser is coming out.
You know, we've not dropped any music video
for any of the collaborations.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that I know.
A visualiser for Party Galore.
That is, yeah, but we are shooting music
videos and there's going to be more content.
We're also going to be, we're going to
be playing shows as well outside.
Oh, nice.
And yeah, the main focus is the album.
And we're going to be dropping singles on
the side, you know, just to spice things
up.
Yeah, yeah.
And drop some collaborations as well.
So there's going to be more Gyakie this
year.
Oh, nice.
I'm looking forward to that.
My mind is dead for that.
So we'll be out here waiting.
But thank you so much for joining me
on the line, man.
It's been a wonderful conversation.
And do enjoy the rest of your day.
Likewise.
Yeah, always remember that we're here.
We love the stuff you're doing, Charlie.
Keep pushing.
Thank you.
You're welcome, man.
Thank you so, so much.
Bye.
So there you have it, guys.
Gyakie pulled off stage once, now selling out
shows, writing her own songs and holding music
she isn't ready to share yet.
Eventually, we will get to hear them.
And still figuring it out, just like the
rest of us.
That is what I love about these calls.
You get the person behind the sound.
That was Gyakie on the line.
If this conversation meant something to you, share
it with someone who needs to hear it.
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And I will catch you on the next
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