Gyakie is the stage name of Jackline Acheampong, a Ghanaian singer, songwriter, and performer.
She is a burgeoning musician and the daughter of Ghanaian highlife great Ernest ‘Owoahene’ Nana Acheampong, better known as Nana Acheampong, one-half of the famed Lumba Brothers.
Gyakie is a Ghanaian afro-fusion performer managed by FlipTheMusic. She is now studying international business at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
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What inspired you to pursue a career as a recording artist?
I did not make a conscious decision to begin making music. It’s something that happened recently. Even though music was all around me growing up, my father is a musician who tremendously impacted highlife.
As a result, music was basically all I could hear, and my passion for it was insatiable. I wanted to be a career woman in an office working globally, so I studied International Business, but music kept calling me one way or another.
I’m not sure what it was, but something kept pulling me to go to the studio and record something that was playing in my head.
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On the campus of KNUST, I met a Nigerian producer named Sosa. He played me a handful of beats, and given my interest in music and entertainment, I quickly fell in love with one particular rhythm. I poured what was going through my thoughts into the microphone, and that’s where the journey began.
When did you realize that this is the job path you wish to pursue?
After receiving such a positive response to my debut song, “Love Is Pretty,” I knew this was going to be my career path.
The reggae love ballad “Love Is Pretty” was released in February 2019. I was surprised by the quantity of people that downloaded my debut song once it was released. The positive feedback from the audience encouraged me to keep creating music.
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Do you feel any pressure to live up to your father’s musical accomplishments?
There is no stress! My father is famous; he did his, and now I’m here to do mine.
Is his music influencing your own sound in any way?
It has, indeed. In the sense that I listened to his songs a lot as a kid. His music has had an impact on my sound. I do afro-fusion, and while I have yet to release a highlife tune, I believe I am capable of doing it properly because I grew up in it. I was exposed to several renowned Ghanaian talents through my father.
Please tell us about the Seed EP.
The Seed EP, which also happens to be my debut EP, is a flexible five-song effort. It’s a first look at me and my sound. Again, it takes the listener on a journey through my life and musical experiences.
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Which song from the Seed EP is your favorite?
“Vacation,” my favorite song on the EP, is a tune that makes you feel happy. The song’s lyrical substance makes me fall in love with it even more.
Was the response to your debut EP what you expected?
My expectations were exceeded by the reception. There was a build-up to the release that heightened the anticipation, and I believe it exceeded their expectations, as seen by the 300,000 thousand plays in a week.
What can we expect from Gyakie in the future?
My management team and I am working extremely hard! The fans have a lot to look forward to. Expect mind-blowing surprises.
