Dada Hafco is a Highlife musician
Highlife musician, Dada Hafco, has reiterated his long-held belief that Ghana must project Highlife music as its global cultural identity.
Speaking in an interview on Hitz FM on December 11, 2025, the musician argued that just as other countries are easily recognised by their signature sounds, Ghana must also attach its identity to Highlife on the world stage.
Drawing a comparison, he explained that performers of Reggae across the world are often associated with Jamaica due to how strongly the genre represents the country.
“If you’re performing Reggae music in Vanuatu and you’re on dreadlocks, everyone will assume you’re from Jamaica. It gives them a global identity. I believe we can do same with Highlife,” he said.
Dada Hafco stressed that he is not against musicians experimenting with other styles but insisted that nations benefit from choosing one dominant sound that becomes their cultural export.
“Nobody is saying people should stop doing any genre they’re doing but we need one genre to front it to the world stage where everyone will know that when you come from Ghana, this is what you represent,” he shared.
Referring to UNESCO’s recent recognition of Highlife, he noted that the genre has already gained global visibility, urging stakeholders to take advantage of the momentum.
Highlife musicians are not respected, they’re seen as ‘kolo’ – Dada Hafco
“Now that UNESCO has listed it, they’ve made it global already so why are we not taking advantage of it and just push it?” he questioned.
Dada Hafco further suggested that awarding schemes could play a strategic role in elevating Highlife by making the topmost awards dependent on the genre, which would encourage more artistes to participate.
“I have said that if we want a lot of people to get into the highlife zone, if we are going to make the overall award-winning about highlife, a lot of people are going to jump in.
“Every musician in Ghana who do other genres, anytime they decide to touch on highlife, they do it flawlessly. It means that’s what we are actually built with,” he noted.
According to him, Highlife comes naturally to Ghanaian musicians, and with the right structures and incentives, it could become the country’s strongest cultural export.
“If we can arrange it so that it becomes attractive for people to join, I believe it will be our thing because we do it effortlessly more than anyone else,” he added.
FG/EB
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