Amaarae is a Ghanaian singer
As netizens continue to criticise Amaarae for not featuring a home-based Ghanaian artiste on her new album and instead working with artistes from the diaspora, the singer has shared some insights into the project.
The backlash started when fans noticed that none of the featured artistes on the album were Ghana-based.
Some netizens said it was her artistic choice, others argued they had expected local collaborations due to how Amaarae consistently introduced songs of her colleagues to the world.
Amaarae addresses backlash for not featuring a Ghanaian on ‘Black Star’ album
On August 15, 2025, a fan on X summed up this feeling, writing:
“Definitely not by force people are just saying she made the album like it was going to be about her ‘Ghanaian identity’ and things because of the whole rollout.”
Amaarae responded to the fan and said ‘Black Star’ is rooted in her Ghanaian identity and shaped by Ghanaian music through her lens.
Her explanation threw light on the creative process behind Black Star. She pointed to her 2025 Coachella performance as an early signal of the direction she was taking, using songs by La Meme Gang, Eazzy, and the Asaaka Boys to set the tone.
According to Amaarae, the album blends different Ghanaian genres like Highlife, Asokpor, Azonto, Hiplife, Gospel, and Afro trap, but with new elements inspired by her travels and global influences.
Rex Omar hails Amaarae for projecting Ghana to the world at Coachella
In a long thread, she wrote;
“Loooool This album IS DEF ab my GH Identity & GH music through my lens. If you go back to my Coachella performance during my GH segment, I played 3 key songs. Godzilla La Meme Gang, Wengeze Eazzy, Sore Asaaka boys.
“Signaling that the genres I would be leaning into were Higlife/Asokpor, Azonto & Afro trap. Straight out the gate! Stuck Up is Electro mixed w Asokpor & BZ FUNK. It has a similar vibe to early La Meme just slower. Bree Runway monotonic opening verse is reminiscent of EAZZY vocal on Wengeze/Bo wons3m mame, ms60 is afro trap. SMO & FINESHYT is 80s highlife, Bacardi & zouk drums fused over Detroit club and euro dance.
“100DRUM Is GH gospel and the funk percussion on it are reminiscent of kpanlogo rhythms that’s why I used them. FREE THE YOUTH is straight hip life and AZONTO w trap synths. BISA K DEI AYI & AZONTO GHOST vocals were my reference for FineShyt vocal chain along w Lady by Modjo & Blue by Eiffel65.
“I went to BRAZIL to record before I came to Ghana because BRAZILIANS have very few drum patterns but for the past decade + they have been able to continuously innovate and refresh their sound in so many ways and I wanted to learn from that and see how I could do that w GH music! 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.”
Loooool This album IS DEF ab my GH Identity & GH music through my lens. If you go back to my Coachella performance during my GH segment, I played 3 key songs. Godzilla La Meme Gang, Wengeze Eazzy, Sore Asaaka boys. Signaling that the genres I would be leaning into were… https://t.co/PDvkAAafaa
— BLACK STAR (@amaarae) August 15, 2025
Meanwhile, watch the trailer to GhanaWeb’s yet-to-air documentary on teenage girls and how fish is stealing their futures below:
AK/EB
