Ghanaian music can go global without copying foreign sounds – King Promise

Ghanaian Afrobeats and Highlife artist King Promise has expressed his desire to take Ghanaian music to a global stage while preserving its unique identity. The singer revealed that he had previously experimented with music heavily influenced by foreign sounds but realized that Ghanaian musicians should build on their distinctive strengths instead of imitating existing international styles.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Drive Time with Lexis Bill, King Promise emphasized that his ambition is to achieve global success while staying connected with his Ghanaian audience. He stated, “I’d rather them not influencing me so much, rather me influencing the world so much.”

The singer acknowledged a period when he made music primarily driven by foreign influences but decided not to release those experimental songs. He explained that Ghanaian musicians possess distinctive qualities that can appeal to international audiences, and there is no need to trade these qualities for what the rest of the world has.

King Promise used the example of the global success of Despacito, a Spanish-language hit, to illustrate how music can cross borders without losing its original identity. He asked, “If Despacito could be a big record in Ghana, why can’t ‘Mene medofa ahye dam mu’ be big in Spain or ‘Terminator’ be played in Singapore?”

King Promise is convinced that his music and its potential audience will succeed, stating, “It’s going to work. It has to work. If it doesn’t go this way, we keep going until it goes.” He also discussed the challenge of balancing the tastes of audiences in Ghana with those of listeners abroad, noting that he has spent years trying to create a sound that connects with both markets. Some examples of his efforts include Perfect Combi, Paris, and Terminator, as well as earlier releases like Tokyo.

Drawing inspiration from fellow Ghanaian musicians R2Bees and international artists Mr Eazi, Wizkid, and Davido, King Promise believes that Ghanaian musicians have the potential to compete globally. The singer, who won the Artiste of the Year award, expressed his desire to expand his international ambitions beyond music releases to collaborations and partnerships. He mentioned his work with Chelsea Football Club, emphasizing that the goal is to help Ghanaian music reach wider audiences while retaining its unique qualities.