Right now, there is a bustling revolution of creativity sweeping throughout the continent of Africa growing at a pace like never before. Particularly In West Africa, Ghana continues to set the pace as an incubator for some of the most innovative creative talents. Back in the '70s, legendary Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti was inspired by Ghanaian highlife artist Ebo Taylor. Today, contemporary Nigerian musician Mr. Eazi credits Ghana as one of his biggest inspirations — creating a genre called “Banku music,” named after a popular Ghanaian dish.

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Over the past several years, online platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube have become a border-free share space for African millennials to tell their stories. Talents emerging from this digital boom include several impressive young Ghanaian artists like Amaarae, Darkovibes, Joey Lit, Kuukua Eshun, and Prince Gyasi. Through mediums like music, fashion design, visual arts, and social impact initiatives, these artists are revolutionizing the way we see life in Ghana, helping to bridge the representation gap between Africa and the rest of the world.

While Africa is home to the youngest population in the world — with nearly ⅔ of its inhabitants under the age of 25 — the face of Africa is still primarily shaped by the actions of older generations. Now more than ever, young artists are making their way to the forefront of creative production by transcending traditional approaches, sending a new message that represents a quickly developing youth culture.

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I arrived in Ghana during Chale Wote, a festival period that attracted visitors from all over the world from China to the U.S.. While most people came for the festival, I was more curious to learn more about the landscape of music and creative culture that was pushing boundaries across Ghana. While the mainstream industry is slowly opening up to new sounds, It has not been an easy journey for young artists to break traditions of the mainstream. Hoping to hear from someone who knows this struggle firsthand, I reached out to Amaarae, a Ghanian-American musician and producer on the rise. We agreed upon meeting at the local art market at a hidden record store that might easily go unnoticed. She immediately stood out with her unique style, rocking a blonde buzz cut and bold shades that suggested a without-a-doubt, genuine kind of confidence. Both young and middle-aged male shopkeepers spotted her, stopping her to shout things like “Ama, we dey see you!” and “We love your music”.