Wiyaala: from “too dark” for success to Woman Of The Decade

Wiyaala is currently one of Afropop's most resounding names in Ghana and has been conquering stages all over Europe and the United Kingdom. However, the artist began by being "too black and masculine" for the music industry, which tried to change its image for not meeting the usual standards of a successful artist.

She was born in Wa, in the north of Ghana, where she made her first steps into music as backing vocal and writing her own lyrics. When she started, in addition to her different image and bold way of dressing, “a woman to be successful in music was completely unthinkable”. Only in 2012, after participating in the tv show “Vodafone Icons”, Wiyaala gained national exposure and she never stopped.

About to release her new album, Wiyaala can't wait to go back on stage. Her tour was postponed due to the Coronavirus, but the singer has concerts planned in countries like the United Kingdom, France, and Germany to present “Yaga Yaga”, which according to her “it is not an album just for Ghana, it is for the whole world to hear and specially produced for music festivals”.

The singer has been on international festival stages since 2015, performing at events such as the Hague African Festival in the Netherlands, the Afrikadey Festival in Calgary, Canada, or the Freedom Festival in the United Kingdom. It is the energy she receives from the public that inspires her music and lyrics, which she says are always experimental, reflecting each trip, person she meets or moment she lives throughout her life. It is not surprising that her albums are so different, which makes her a multifaceted and versatile singer, who describes herself as “a real artist” and promises a lot of positivity, laughs, and smiles after each performance.

Wiyaala mixes pop with traditional Ghanaian music and sings not only in English but also Sissala and Waal, languages she learned thanks to her parents. This fusion of sounds is clearly present in “Yaga Yaga”. Almost without ballads, it is an interesting journey between pop, dancehall, and afrobeat, which explores new sides of the singer that will surely please fans.

Currently living in her hometown of Ghana, Wiyaala has taken advantage of this time without concerts to dedicate himself to social causes. The singer has been using her image to make society aware of issues such as the education of the youngest, child marriage, and female genital mutilation. Wiyaala believes that her voice can go further and that she can be an example for "those young girls who look around and think that everything is impossible".

It was her music and dedication to these social causes that made her recently earn the Woman of the Decade Award, by the Women’s Choice Awards Africa, which recognizes outstanding women in education, entrepreneurship, cinema, and entertainment. For Wiyaala, this award “was a surprise” and represents the confirmation of her work over the past fifteen years. According to the artist, the award shows “that women can succeed and counter social prejudices and religious beliefs”.

Wiyaala's vision is to continue making music without a pre-established goal, as she is constantly learning. However, the singer believes that her music is different and can reach the mainstream if given opportunities.

See the complete BANTUMEN interview here.