From Kumasi to global stages, Ghanaian songbird Gyakie is proving her staying power. With nearly 200 million streams, a soulful signature, and collaborations spanning Davido to Headie One, she enters a new era with her debut album After Midnight. Here, she reflects on growth, nocturnal muses, and her mission to sing to the soul.

Since breaking into Afrobeats’ spotlight in 2021 with Forever, her duet with Omah Lay, Gyakie, born Jackline Acheampong, has become one of the scene’s most vivacious voices. Later that year came Follow You (featuring Chike and Fiokee). And, in 2022, she unveiled her six-track debut EP, My Diary, featuring Davido on Flames, cementing her place among Afrobeats’ brightest newcomers.

With her soulful vocal signature and shimmering pop-soul fusions, the Ghanaian singer has racked up nearly 200 million song plays on Spotify alone. Her upcoming debut album, After Midnight, set to be released on August 29, dwells on relatable themes like survival, family, love and romance.

The 17-track album also features a stellar artist line-up such as Grammy-winning American singer 6lack (Damn U), Nigerian heavyweight Young Jonn, Ghanaian star Omar Sterling of R2Bees, UK mavericks Headie One (I’m Not Taken), and Kojey Radical (Party Galore).

Raised in Kumasi by music-loving parents, the 25-year-old songbird studied International Business at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Gyakie debuted in 2019 with her debut song, Love Is Pretty, garnering acclaim for her tone and delivery. Citing Asa and Omar Sterling as her core influences, the talented singer has carved a distinct artistry melding African soul, R&B, and pop.

In this week’s Guardian Music, she gives us a peek behind the scenes of After Midnight, explaining her muses, process, core memories, and personal expectations for the album.

How are you feeling pre-release?
I am very excited, although I can already see the workload ahead. I’m ready for everything!

Why did you title it After Midnight?
Most of the studio sessions happened after midnight, literally. It was around those times that I was really able to create the lyrics to the records. Besides, I’m naturally very active at night. So, I sleep late into the day, unless I have something scheduled for the early morning.

How long since you discovered your nocturnal work nature?
Growing up, my mom would always pray for us at midnight; you could be deep asleep and you’d just feel her hand on your head. But when it comes to my sleep pattern, it really started when I started doing music and I was going for events after midnight; I’ll come home late, and one really enjoys their peace of mind during those quiet hours.

It’s been five years since your breakout. Tell us why you decided to release your debut album now.
I believe I have grown so much over the years. Perhaps, if I did an album four years ago, by now there might be things I wish I did differently. Over the years, I started learning so much about the music business, and I paid close attention to music production, song writing, stage performances and so on. We started working on the album in 2022, and I am glad I could input all I learned into the music. It’s really showing in the work, and it has really influenced everything, from the sound, to the songwriting, the production, and even the creative visuals.

You mentioned music production. Tell us more about your journey with that.
I was deliberately learning things, I was getting too curious and intrigued to know why everything sounded the way they did. So I realised I could do it too, so I went for it. I’m also planning to learn an instrument soon.

What story direction did you aim for with this album?
There are many heartbreak songs, and then we sprinkled in a little bit of other topics so that everyone can have a taste of what they love. The Gyakie from 2019-2020 was really known for heartbreak songs. Now, I have more diverse songs that you could play on a random day. I really went for the Gyakie that sings to the soul, directly. On this project, I have songs that speak to people who do not have confidence in themselves.

Tell us about some of your core memories from making this album.
Y2K Love took the longest time to make. It’s an old-school R&B/Hip Hop vibe, featuring Omar Sterling. We wanted the sound to make people feel nostalgic. The song felt like trying to solve a Rubik’s cube. It was interestingly complicated.

My session with Headie One was also fun, because he is the only collaboration there where we were both together in the studio. He was in Ghana at the time, and I had my part recorded already before we linked up. Eddie Kadi was in the studio as well. I had a few friends, too, and it was more like a studio session and a party, and that’s typically not my creative process.

There’s another song called, Is It Worth It? Myself and the producer were about to make a record, but started having a random conversation about life, as per, ‘What do you think happens after somebody dies?’ We were being very inquisitive. That particular week, a couple of my friends had lost their loved ones, coincidentally. We kept reflecting on the fact that after everything we’re all doing in this world, we’re all going to die. We started creating the music, and we actually brought the conversation to life with it. It was a really interesting process.

Where else do you typically write your music from?
I also enjoy writing music on the plane, but the majority of the time I’m writing from the studio.

How much do you enjoy performing your music?
I mostly enjoy making music in the studio, but I also enjoy stage performances. My only problem with the stage is that with how everyone comes online to troll artists, it’s made the stage feel like a courtroom. One has to be extra mindful of their conduct, because some troll is probably making a creepy video of you to use against you online. If I take that out, it’s always fun for me to be on stage.

What was the most heartwarming fan-love experience you’ve had recently?
I went to perform in Sierra Leone last December, and the reception was so amazing. I didn’t expect that they would sing most of my catalogue word for word. Every single day was full of genuine love.

Are you performing in Lagos anytime soon?
It’s crazy how I’ve never done a show, and I have been coming here for a while. So, I aim to do that this year.

Away from the music, who is Gyakie?
Jackline is a soft introvert who likes to be inside her room, specifically, and not just inside the house. I’m a very easy-going person, the kind of person that’s okay with everything. I like to be inside, because outside really has a lot of trouble. So, 9 out of 10 times, Jackline and Gyakie are always arguing, because Jackline doesn’t want to go outside, but Gyakie has to do it because that is the job.

How do you end up nourishing both sides of yourself?
That’s an amazing question. I think through love and affection. On both sides, I love when I see people smile about something I’ve done for them. I love seeing my fans happy, especially when I make music. I really love creating music. If I wasn’t singing and performing, I’d probably be writing for people. I wake up, somedays, and I see messages from people telling me how my music really got them through a tough moment. I love seeing the fact that I’m doing something that’s making people happy.

Finally, what do you envision for Gyakie in the long run?
I want to keep touching so many souls. I think that is my mission. I enjoy being the artist that people listen to when they are driving back home tired and they need something to relax their nerves. I enjoy seeing people using my song for comfort when going through heartbreak. I listen to music a lot too; there’s some artists that I do not play with. So, for me, it’s always about changing lives and about keeping people comforted with my music.