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It’s a shame to say my music is appreciated better outside Ghana – Wiyaala
Ghanaian singer and song-writer Noella Wiyaala Nwadei better known by her stage name Wiyaala has said that she is very popular in Ghana and does not pay heed to those who think otherwise. She described the people who had contributed to this assertion as shallow minded and shortsighted.
The “Leno” hitmaker, in a recent interview with RazaSwaggy on “Rush Hour” in Cape Coast, revealed that she performs a lot in Ghana. This was in response to a question posed by the host whether she performed more outside Ghana than in Ghana. She further disclosed that a lot of her Ghanaian performances are corporate events and she does not see the need to post everything on social media.
Wiyaala, who describes her genre of music as folk, traditional and African, acknowledges that not everyone appreciates her style of music, and stated that shouldn’t be a basis for people to be biased and discredit her work. She believes in her craft and knows her opinions are valid and important in the public eye. She further stated that it is a dent on the Ghanaian music industry and Ghanaians as a whole if people think her music is appreciated better by foreigners. “If people are saying white people are appreciating my music more than my own people, that means there’s something wrong with my own people,” she said.
On a lighter note, the singer mentioned her physique as one of the things that make her popular aside her unique talent. And further touted her popularity; “I know I am popular in Ghana. If I was not popular, you would not be interviewing me right now.”
Wiyaala registered her presence on the Ghanaian music scene in 2009 with her first album, “Tumu.” She has since then chalked major success in her career, performed on several international stages and won several local and international awards. She headlined the 15th London African Music festival in 2017 and has been a member of the Grammy Recording Academy since July, 2022.
(Story: Maame Adwoa A. Mensah)
