Wiyaala

Wiyaala is one of the most distinctive and internationally celebrated voices in Ghanaian music, an Afropop singer-songwriter who fuses the folk traditions of her native north with contemporary sound, and whose fierce, energetic performances have earned her the title Young Lioness of Africa.

Early life

She was born Noella Wiyaala on 22 December 1986 in Wa, in the Upper West Region, and grew up in Funsi and Tumu. Her name means the doer in the Sissala dialect. She received her first singing lessons from her mother, a church choir singer, and had been performing since childhood.

Breakthrough

She won the Vodafone Icons reality show in 2012, a victory that launched her onto the national and international stage. She established her solo career in 2013 with the hit Rock My Body, which won two awards at the inaugural All Africa Music Awards in 2014.

Style and recognition

She sings in her native Sissala and Waala dialects as well as English, often within the same song, blending West African folk traditions with modern Afropop. Her powerful voice and commanding stage presence have drawn comparisons to legends like Miriam Makeba and Angelique Kidjo, and she has performed on stages around the world.

Standing

A proud ambassador for northern Ghana and for African music on the global stage, Wiyaala stands apart as an original, an artist who has succeeded internationally on her own uncompromising terms.