Official album cover of After Midnight by Gyakie
Ghanaian singer-songwriter Gyakie unveils her highly anticipated debut album “After Midnight,” a 17-track exploration of vulnerability, healing, identity, and self-love that solidifies her place as one of Africa’s most compelling female voices.
Known for her soulful blend of Afro-R&B, highlife, and alternative influences, all anchored by her unmistakable voice and lyrical storytelling, Gyakie steps into a new era with this project, inviting listeners into her inner world with a level of honesty and depth never seen before. The album spotlights her artistry and evolution from a young girl with music in her blood to an artist fully stepping into her power.
Born to the legendary Ghanaian highlife musician Nana Acheampong, Gyakie carries a rich musical heritage, and “After Midnight” is her own statement; a deeply personal body of work shaped in the stillness and mystery of the night.
Gyakie explains why she waited five years to release her debut album
The album’s title draws from the hours it was created. “Almost all the songs on the album were recorded after midnight,” Gyakie shares. “It is within those hours that I find my best inspiration to write. The peace and quiet, the sounds from the birds, the serenity, everything about that time fuels my creativity.”
Introduced with a stirring narrative trailer directed by Alex Piper (Rema, Travis Scott, Wizkid, Skepta) and featuring the album’s “Intro” song, the album includes previously released singles “Sankofa” and “Unconditional,” each of which offered glimpses into the emotional scope of the project. From aching honesty to cultural pride to spiritual surrender, the singles hinted at the multidimensional soundscape Gyakie was building, one rooted in personal truth and crafted for global ears.
The album also welcomes powerful collaborations with standout talents, including 6LACK, Kojey Radical, Omar Sterling, Headie One, Shatta Wale, and Young Jonn, creating a convergence of cultures that speaks to the universality of music and its ability to bring people together.
Gyakie breathes new life into her father’s ‘Nanka Ebeye Den’ song
In a touching full-circle moment, Gyakie samples her father, Nana Acheampong, on one of the album’s standout tracks, “Y2K Luv” ft. Omar Sterling, which pays homage to her musical roots and a powerful symbol of legacy and continuity in Ghanaian music.
Now unveiled in full, “After Midnight” introduces a compelling mix of stories and sounds. From late-night reflections and intimate prayers to sweeping love songs and vibrant party anthems, the collection is the perfect soundtrack to the myriad moods of the hours that follow midnight.
Sonically, it dances effortlessly between slow-burning ballads, rhythmic highlife grooves, stripped-down soul, and amapiano-infused anthems, while Gyakie blends vulnerability with confidence, softness with strength, inviting fans into her process of healing, reflection, and self-discovery.
“This album is about becoming. It’s about embracing all the versions of myself, the soft parts, the strong parts, the past, the present, and the dreams I’m chasing. I hope people find pieces of themselves in these songs,” Gyakie said
TRACKLIST: “AFTER MIDNIGHT”
1. Intro
2. Fire on the Mountain
3. Damn U (feat. 6LACK)
4. Harmattan (feat. Shatta Wale)
5. Y2K Luv (feat. Omar Sterling)
6. Sankofa
7. After Midnight
8. I’m Not Taken (feat. Headie One)
9. No One
10. Breaking News
11. House Party (feat. Young Jonn)
12. Unconditional
13. Story
14. Want It
15. Party Galore (feat. Kojey Radical)
16. Is It Worth It?
17. Hallelujah
GA/MA
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