Ghanaian superstar Black Sherif has spotlighted AratheJay and Gonaboy as new-age talents reshaping highlife music in a recent interview with NME Magazine.
When asked who he sees following his path of reinventing the genre, Black Sherif responded, “Yeah, a lot. AraTheJay, Gona Boy: those are two emerging artists that I believe are from my tribe; my musical realm.”
He praised both artists for sticking to their unique sound and pushing boundaries. “They’re not bending [to] the rules of what people think good music from where they’re from should be.”
Black Sherif also pointed out how easy it is for musicians from Ghana, especially from the Ashanti Region, to fall back on traditional highlife structures. “It’s a different game to actually branch out and do something different, even to make highlife different,” he said.
Both AratheJay and Gonaboy have recently gained recognition for fusing highlife with contemporary elements, earning praise for their bold direction and sound.
