Gyakie, born Jackline Acheampong, is Ghana’s most celebrated Afro fusion and R&B singer from Kumasi. Her chart topper “Forever” hit No. 3 on Billboard’s Top Triller Global chart, went platinum in South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya, and crossed 35 million Spotify streams. She has released 3 EPs and one debut studio album, “After Midnight,” featuring 6LACK, Shatta Wale, and Headie One. Her latest solo single is “TREASURE,” her first solo release since the album.
Who is Gyakie
Gyakie’s birth name is Jackline Acheampong. She is the daughter of Nana Acheampong, one half of Ghana’s legendary Lumba Brothers highlife duo. At age 8, she stepped into a professional recording studio beside her father and watched real music production unfold. She studied International Business at KNUST in Kumasi and released her debut single while still a student on campus. She signed with Flip The Music, then secured international deals with RCA Records UK and Sony Music Entertainment West Africa, giving her global distribution that most African female artists wait years to access. Music fans across Africa know her as the Song Bird.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Artist Name | Gyakie |
| Real Name | Jackline Acheampong |
| Nickname | Song Bird |
| Born | 16 December 1999, Kumasi, Ghana |
| Father | Nana Acheampong, Lumba Brothers |
| Genre | Afro fusion, Highlife, R&B, Gospel, Dancehall |
| Labels | Flip The Music, RCA Records UK, Sony Music West Africa |
| Debut Single | Love Is Pretty |
| Career Start | KNUST campus, debut year with Love Is Pretty |
| Biggest Song | Forever (35M+ Spotify streams, platinum in 3 countries) |
| Latest Release | TREASURE (produced by AfroLektra) |
See how Gyakie fits among the best new African artists reshaping African music right now.
Gyakie Chart Toppers: 7 Biggest Songs Ranked
Gyakie’s biggest chart topper is “Forever,” with 35 million Spotify streams and platinum certification in 3 countries. Here are her 7 most played and highest charting songs ranked by impact and streaming reach.
- Forever: No. 3 on Billboard’s Top Triller Global chart. No. 1 in Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya. Platinum in South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya. Over 35 million Spotify streams. The defining Gyakie chart topper.
- Forever Remix (feat. Omah Lay): Extended the original into UK, US, and Caribbean diaspora markets. Platinum certified in Nigeria. The biggest Gyakie international breakthrough to date.
- damn u (feat. 6LACK): The most globally competitive Gyakie track from After Midnight. Placed her on international R&B playlists on Spotify and Apple Music for the first time.
- Something: A mid-tempo Afropop track that became a strong pan African radio hit as a standalone single before joining her album catalogue.
- Need Me: Gyakie’s self-empowerment anthem. Her most listened track among female fans across Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa on Audiomack and Boomplay.
- Never Like This: Reggae tinged debut year single that won Gyakie the Muse Africa Alternative Song of the Second Quarter award. Her first industry recognition.
- Sor Mi Mu (feat. Bisa Kdei): A Ghanaian highlife roots collab with Bisa Kdei that earned strong Boomplay numbers across West Africa and grounded Gyakie in her cultural heritage.
Quick Rank Discovery
| Gyakie Song | Chart Position | Certification | Key Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forever | No. 3 Billboard Top Triller Global; No. 1 Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya | Platinum in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya | 35M+ Spotify streams; Shazam Top 200 |
| Forever Remix (feat. Omah Lay) | Diaspora markets: UK, US, Caribbean | Platinum in Nigeria | Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube |
| damn u (feat. 6LACK) | Global Afro R&B playlists | International reach | Spotify, Apple Music |
| Something | Pan African radio hit | Strong streaming across Africa | Boomplay, Audiomack, Radio |
| Need Me | Pan African female empowerment hit | Strong pan Africa reception | Audiomack, Boomplay |
| Never Like This | National Ghana chart hit | Muse Africa award winner | Ghanaian radio stations |
| Sor Mi Mu (feat. Bisa Kdei) | West Africa Boomplay chart | Strong streaming | Boomplay West Africa |
Compare how Gyakie ranks among Africa’s top 10 successful female artists on the global stage right now.
Top Gyakie Albums and EPs: Full Discography
Gyakie has released 3 EPs and 1 debut studio album. Start with the Seed EP. Then work forward through Need Me, My Diary, and After Midnight in that order.
Seed EP: Start Here
The Seed EP is the best entry point for any new Gyakie listener. This 5-track debut project introduced Gyakie to fans in Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya almost overnight. Its cover artwork places a young Gyakie in studio headphones beside her father in a recording booth. That image is biography, not just design. “Forever” is the standout track and became her biggest chart topper. “Whine” shows her playful side. “Vacation” is a smooth feel good track that works in any playlist.
Need Me EP: Proving Forever Was No Accident
The Need Me EP confirmed Gyakie was building a career, not chasing a single viral moment. “Need Me” became her self-empowerment anthem and the Gyakie song female fans across Africa claimed as their own statement. “Nana Nyame” brought Ghanaian spiritual and cultural identity into Afropop production. The EP earned Gyakie the 3Music Awards Emerging Woman of the Year and introduced the gospel-influenced songwriting that later runs through After Midnight.
My Diary EP: Crossing the Border
My Diary is the EP where Gyakie reached across into Nigeria for creative partnerships. Her collaboration with Davido, one of Nigeria’s biggest names, sits at the center of this project. It pulled a large Nigerian fanbase toward Gyakie’s music before After Midnight arrived. The EP proved her collab strategy: reach across African borders, grow both audiences together, and never compromise your sound to fit in.
After Midnight: Gyakie’s Debut Studio Album
“After Midnight” is Gyakie’s debut studio album and her most ambitious project, built across 3 years of late night recording sessions. She described those after-midnight hours as the only time she felt free enough to write without overthinking every word. Sessions spanned studios in Ghana, Nigeria, and the UK. Producers P.Priime, SOSA, Nova, Afrolektra, and DeeYasso shaped the sound across 17 tracks and 42 minutes. Creative director Alex Piper, who also worked with Rema, Travis Scott, Wizkid, and Skepta, handled all visual direction. The album features 6 artists from 4 countries and opens with traditional Ashanti drums from Kumasi before moving through multiple genres.
After Midnight earned Gyakie Billboard’s African Rookie of the Month, a Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 Creatives spot, a Forbes Africa magazine cover, and Grammy voter review consideration for both “Sankofa” and the full album. Read our full guide to the types of African music genres that Gyakie moves through on this album.
After Midnight Full Tracklist
| # | Song | Feature | Theme |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intro | None | Opens with Ashanti drums; moves through multiple genres into hip-hop |
| 2 | fire on the mountain | None | Heartbreak and doubt in love; written on a flight home from the UK |
| 3 | after midnight (interlude) | None | Connects the album’s emotional threads at its midpoint |
| 4 | damn u | 6LACK | Introspective Afro R&B; most globally competitive track on the album |
| 5 | harmattan | Shatta Wale | High energy dancehall; two of Ghana’s biggest voices in one track |
| 6 | Y2K Luv | Omar Sterling | Samples Nana Acheampong; full circle Ghanaian highlife tribute |
| 7 | sankofa | None | Named after Ghanaian Adinkra symbol; most emotionally honest solo track |
| 8 | unconditional | None | Emotive love song; served as pre-release preview single |
| 9 | is it worth it? | None | Vulnerable self-questioning about love and commitment |
| 10 | want it | None | Upbeat track about desire and self-assurance |
| 11 | breaking news | None | Declaration song about honesty inside a relationship |
| 12 | no one | None | Smooth R&B about singular emotional bonds |
| 13 | story | None | Reflective piece about personal narrative and identity |
| 14 | I’m Not Taken | Headie One | Confident Afrobeats meets UK rap crossover |
| 15 | house party | Young Jonn | Feel good celebration anthem; West Africa cross-border collab |
| 16 | hallelujah | None | Gospel inspired; built for healing and inner motivation |
| 17 | party galore | Kojey Radical | High energy closing collab with British-Ghanaian artist |
Gyakie Full Discography at a Glance
| Project | Type | Tracks | Best Song | Key Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seed EP | EP | 5 | Forever | 35M+ streams; platinum in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya |
| Need Me EP | EP | 5+ | Need Me, Nana Nyame | 3Music Awards Emerging Woman of the Year |
| My Diary EP | EP | Multiple | Collab with Davido | Nigeria fanbase expansion |
| After Midnight | Studio Album | 17 | damn u, sankofa, harmattan | Forbes Africa 30 Under 30; Billboard Rookie of Month; Grammy submissions |
Read about Gyakie’s impact on the continent in our report on African music growth facts.
Gyakie Best Collaborations
Gyakie’s collaborations span 4 countries and connect Ghanaian music to Nigerian, British, and American audiences. Each collab expanded her fanbase without changing her core sound.
- Omah Lay on Forever Remix: Her biggest collab. Turned a Ghanaian EP track into a pan African chart topper with platinum certification in Nigeria and diaspora markets across 3 continents.
- 6LACK on damn u: Her most globally competitive collab. Placed Gyakie on international Afro R&B playlists for the first time on both Spotify and Apple Music.
- Shatta Wale on harmattan: Two Ghanaian music icons across completely different genres. One of After Midnight’s most celebrated moments among Ghanaian music fans.
- Omar Sterling on Y2K Luv: Features a sample of her father Nana Acheampong. A full circle Ghanaian highlife tribute inside a modern Afro fusion song.
- Bisa Kdei on Sor Mi Mu: A Ghanaian roots collab connecting Gyakie’s modern sound to the highlife heritage of her father’s generation.
- Davido on My Diary EP: Her biggest Nigerian collab before the After Midnight era. Pulled Gyakie directly into one of Africa’s largest music fanbases.
- Headie One on I’m Not Taken: Afrobeats meets UK rap crossover. Introduced Gyakie to a British Nigerian listener base.
- Young Jonn on house party: A West Africa cross-border celebration anthem with Nigeria’s award-winning hitmaker.
See how Gyakie’s collab strategy compares to the top 50 famous African music artists building global careers right now.
Gyakie Latest Releases: TREASURE and What Comes Next
“TREASURE” is Gyakie’s latest solo single and her first release since After Midnight. Produced by AfroLektra and written entirely by Gyakie, the song blends Afrobeats and highlife into a high energy celebration of love and loyalty. Snippets circulated on social media before its June 26 release date. Fans were building playlists around the track before they had even heard it in full. That kind of pre-release momentum tells you exactly where Gyakie stands with her audience right now.
TREASURE sounds different from anything on After Midnight. It is warmer than “Forever” and more celebratory than anything else in the Gyakie catalogue. AfroLektra’s production keeps the energy up while giving Gyakie’s voice space to carry every lyric clearly. Beyond TREASURE, Gyakie recently featured on Kuami Eugene’s “Stranger” and Khaid’s “Run Away (Acoustic)”, extending her reach into new listener pockets across Ghana and Nigeria without changing her core sound.
Read how other leading African female artists manage their chart topper careers. Our guide on Ayra Starr’s chart toppers and Tiwa Savage’s chart topper journey gives a full African female artist comparison.
Gyakie Awards and Recognition
Gyakie has won the 3Music Awards Woman of the Year, the Ghana Music Awards UK, and the Muse Africa Alternative Song award, alongside nominations at the BET Awards, TGMA, and VGMA.
| Award or Recognition | Detail |
|---|---|
| Muse Africa Award | Alternative Song of the Second Quarter for Never Like This |
| VGMA Awards | Unsung Artist Nominee, debut year |
| 3Music Awards | Emerging Woman of the Year |
| 3Music Awards | Woman of the Year |
| Best West African Artiste | Cross-border music impact recognition |
| Ghana Music Awards UK | Winner |
| BET Awards | Viewer’s Choice Nomination |
| TGMA | Artiste of the Year Nomination |
| Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 | Creatives category; Forbes Africa magazine cover feature |
| Forbes Woman Africa | Speaker at the Leading Women Summit |
| Spotify | EQUAL Africa Ambassador for gender equity in music |
| Billboard | African Rookie of the Month |
| Grammy | Sankofa and After Midnight submitted for Grammy voter review |
Track every major African artist recognition at global events in our guide to BET Awards winners and nominees from Africa. Also see where Gyakie ranks among Africa’s top rising music stars.
FAQs About Gyakie
Who is Gyakie?
Gyakie is a Ghanaian Afro fusion and R&B singer born Jackline Acheampong on 16 December 1999 in Kumasi, Ghana. She is the daughter of Nana Acheampong of the Lumba Brothers and is signed to Flip The Music, RCA Records UK, and Sony Music West Africa.
What is Gyakie’s most popular song?
“Forever” is Gyakie’s most popular song, hitting No. 3 on Billboard’s Top Triller Global chart and earning platinum certification in South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya. It has crossed 35 million Spotify streams and topped charts in 3 African countries simultaneously.
How many albums does Gyakie have?
Gyakie has 3 EPs and 1 studio album. Her EPs are Seed, Need Me, and My Diary. Her debut studio album is After Midnight, a 17-track, 42-minute Sony Music West Africa project featuring 6LACK, Shatta Wale, Omar Sterling, Headie One, Young Jonn, and Kojey Radical.
What is Gyakie’s latest song?
“TREASURE” is Gyakie’s latest solo single, produced by AfroLektra and released on June 26. It blends Afrobeats and highlife into a feel good love anthem. She has also recently featured on Kuami Eugene’s “Stranger” and Khaid’s “Run Away (Acoustic).”
What awards has Gyakie won?
Gyakie has won the 3Music Awards Woman of the Year and Emerging Woman of the Year, the Ghana Music Awards UK, and the Muse Africa Alternative Song award. She is a Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 honoree, Spotify EQUAL Africa Ambassador, Billboard’s African Rookie of the Month, and a BET Awards Viewer’s Choice nominee.