Amaarae

Ghanaian musician Amaarae is acclaimed for her sophisticated, off-kilter R&B sound, sweetly seductive vocal delivery, and lyrics that bring race and gender representation into play. Her first album, 2020′s guest-heavy The Angel You Don't Know, provided her breakthrough hit, “SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY” (with Moliy), when a remix featuring singer Kali Uchis went viral on social media and charted internationally. Led by the single “Reckless & Sweet,” Amaarae’s second album, Fountain Baby, followed suit stylistically in 2023. An extended version of the full-length and a Childish Gambino collaboration appeared in 2024. Born Ama Serwah Genfi in 1994 in New York City, singer, songwriter, and producer Amaarae spent parts of her childhood in New Jersey, the Bronx, and Atlanta in the U.S. and in Accra, Ghana. She wrote her first song at the age of 13, started making mixtapes while in high school, and interned at a music studio at 17. While pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature at Agnes State College outside of Atlanta, she took voice lessons and refined her songwriting. After relocating to Ghana in mid-2017, Amaarae signed with the Golden Child label and launched her recording career with the EP Passionfruit Summers that November. It was followed by stand-alone singles including “Spend Some Time” featuring Wande Coal and the solo “Like It” in 2019. In November 2020, Amaarae made her full-length debut on Golden Child with The Angel You Don't Know, an album that combined her soft-and-sweet vocals with elements of intimate R&B, off-balance hip-hop, and sophisticated African and global pop. Its many guests included Kojey Radical and CKay, but she had her international breakthrough with a remix of the album’s Moliy collaboration “SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY.” Featuring American singer Kali Uchis, the 2021 remix went viral on social media and ultimately charted internationally, including cracking the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching the Top 30 the U.K., New Zealand, and Switzerland. That year, Amaarae was featured on the Tiwa Savage single “Tales by Moonlight” and embarked on a world tour that included appearances at Pitchfork Festival Chicago, Pitchfork Festival Paris, and the Governors Ball in New York. She returned in 2023 with the first taste of her sophomore LP, Fountain Baby (Golden Child/Interscope), in the form of the single “Reckless & Sweet.” The album arrived in June and was included on several year-end lists. Roses Are Red, Tears Are Blue — A Fountain Baby Extended Play was released in 2024, adding seven tracks to the original album. Amaarae also appeared on Childish Gambino’s song “In the Night,” along with Jorja Smith. ~ Marcy Donelson