“Baaba J has done it all.” Yeah. Those were the words two beautiful ladies screamed as they walked out of the premises of Baaba J Live, NAFTI Studio III. On Sunday, June 7, 2026, boys and girls in pursuit of happiness gathered in the intimate space with Baaba J, one of Ghana’s contemporary singers, for hours of sweet music.
Baaba J, born Jemima Baaba Haywood-Dadzie, has spent almost six years earning the ears and hearts of a discerning audience. When word got out about the live show, her people didn’t think twice. They showed up and showed love. The number of “wooooouuu”s in the auditorium was uncountable. That’s how stunning the supporting artists’ performances were. Falé set the ball rolling with the vocals, vocals for days. One exciting aspect of Falé’s performance was the mid-performance commentary. She’d pause and say the most random thing and just continue singing. All other performers employed that and it was fun. Another songstress, S3kyerewaa, grabbed the mic, sat on her chair, and started with a gospel song she wrote in 2016. She passed the mic to Tsie and he gave the auditorium a good time. Baaba J was next.
Baaba J commenced her performance with “Lovin 21”. The energy? Off the roof. Then she performed the song again. That’s right. The crowd demanded more and she delivered, both of them locked in a moment that set the tone for everything that followed. The crowd was charged. Baaba J? Supercharged. Then came her heavy-hitters; “Runaway”, “Sunshine”, “Human”, “Ah Well”, “Here Comes The Sun”, “Ole”. Each song landed differently in the room. “Sunshine” had hands waving, “Human” had the auditorium singing every word back to her, and by the time “Ole” hit, the room had completely surrendered. Her performance ended with “Pursuit of Happiness” as she gave high fives to the crowd and walked out of the auditorium. A fitting close for a night that was exactly that.
The striking thing about “Baaba J Live” beyond the music and performances should be the audience. The dedication, the complete show of affection, the delight on their faces, the screams from the back, all in support of the Stargirl Baaba J. It’s something you can’t help but admire. Intermittently, you’d hear a voice from the back, so loud, “We love you Baaba J.” You would probably have heard that about ten times before Baaba J exited the auditorium. What that tells you is that this wasn’t just a concert, it was a room full of people who felt personally connected to her music, and she felt it too. You could see it in the way she moved, the way she held the mic, the way she gave the room everything she had and then some.
Baaba J had music for everyone. The ones that get you nodding, the ones that get you with your hand across your chest to sing along, and the one that gets Nana Kojo Mula and friends doing the “Kakalika” dance. This is your cue to press play on a Baaba J song today. “Baaba J Live” was enjoyable. If you weren’t there, you missed out!
Written By Cyril Sena Anani.
Photo Credit: Keli Colour Co.
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