It was in 2020 that the world was truly introduced to the soulful sound of Jackline Acheampong, known professionally as ‘Gyakie’. At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, people were more digitally tuned-in than they had ever been.
“When my song Forever started charting outside Ghana, it started charting outside [of] Africa; that was when I was like, ‘girl, it’s time for you to do what you’ve always dreamed of doing’. From that moment, I just knew there was no stopping me,” Acheampong says.
The track resonated globally and made Billboard’s Top Triller Global and Shazam’s Top 200.
Acheampong performing onstage during Afro Nation Miami 2023. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)
Demure and confident–even after a long journey from Accra to Johannesburg for a photoshoot with FORBES AFRICA–the singer brightens up when talking music.
Acheampong attributes much of her success to the admiration and respect that she has for her country and continent, further evidenced by her collaborations with artists such as Nigeria’s Omah Lay and Khaid, and South African artists, the late Kiernan Forbes (AKA) and FORBES AFRICA 30 Under 30 alum, Musa Keys.
“Collaboration is the one thing that I have always said is key when it comes to making music,” Acheampong says.
“As much as you are merging cultures from different places, you are also bringing the unity. It’s about holding hands. When we’re holding hands and we’re doing this collaboration, we are able to merge our markets together and then grow our audiences. So, I’m always rooting for collaboration.”
That said, the question on everyone’s mind is when she will be releasing her highly-anticipated 2025 album, After Midnight. FORBES AFRICA can exclusively confirm that it will be in August. It is an album she describes as having a lot of her soul and heart.
“It is my first baby. So, it being my debut album, I didn’t want to play with it at all. It took three years to make–three solid years–and I wanted to make sure that whatever is coming out as my debut project… is iconic.”
