“….and so it easily makes me stand out…”
Ghanaian-born singer, Baaba J is an exceptional musical talent who has gradually garnered dedicated listeners for her rich vocals. Since her debut project dubbed “Lumumba St” – a 5 track EP which acted as a brilliant introduction into the music fraternity, she has consistently taken fans along into her world that they can’t get enough of after each release.
Known to blend the genres of soul, pop, rap and alté under one Afro umbrella, she has already distinguished herself from her peers due to her originality. Baaba J has seen varying levels of success as a young musician and explored her diverse bag of music through her releases since her first EP. Singles like “OUTSIDE”, “Lovin 21”, and “OLE” from Baaba J have received massive critical acclaim.
The month of April brought good news as Baaba J was announced as the Spotify EQUAL Africa Artiste for the month; this comes as part of Spotify’s EQUAL Artiste programme which seeks to spotlight and amplify the voices of female artists across the continent who are breaking down barriers and making waves in music. She joins the ranks of other fellow African artists, including Nikita Kering’, Sio, Tiwa Savage, Ayra Starr, Aṣa, and FAVE, all of whom have previously participated in the initiative.
With her listeners streaming her entire discography in anticipation of new work, I caught up with Baaba J to ask her a few questions that her audience may not have yet had the chance to ask.
iMullar – In your song “Tomboy”, you give a brief description of who Baaba J is. Is that still who Baaba J is?
I think “Tomboy” describes me at the most fundamental level and yes I am still the person I described myself to be in “Tomboy”.
iMullar – Making ‘unconventional music’ in this part of the world comes with a lot of negative comments. How do you deal with negative criticism?
I’ve always felt that people who try and ask me to change my music aren’t the audience my music is meant for. So I take their words with a bucket of salt and keep them moving.
iMullar – What do you think you do differently, that makes Baaba J, Baaba J?
I think I’m always myself and it shows in everything I do and so it easily makes me stand out because there’s no other artist that’s exactly like me.
iMullar – Would you say your writing is your biggest asset as an artiste? If not, what would you say is your biggest asset?
My writing is one of them but I think it’s that I can trust my potential and stick to what I believe in that keeps me on top of my game. It’s one of my biggest assets.
iMullar – You speak about love, family, and friendship in your music a lot. How much has the love you’ve received from family, friends, etc. influenced the music you make?
As a person, I think I’m moved more by love than anything else. Negativity doesn’t surprise me as I’ve grown to see how the world works, but anytime I’m shown love it moves me in a lot of ways and I think that love from my friends and family is what gives me confidence to go on.
iMullar – Your 2023 has been off to a phenomenal start; for starters, you met the Vice President of the USA! Did you know you were going to meet her? What was it like talking to her and sharing your art with her?
I didn’t know I was going to meet with her until about two days before. The experience was quite humbling and it felt very rewarding to be chosen as one of many artists to meet with her. But most of all I was proud to be a part of the group that got to meet her because I work alongside them and with them, so it felt like something we’d all achieved together. And I know it meant a lot to my parents so I was happy to make them proud.
iMullar – Then there was your massive win in New York! What was the first emotion that you felt when you saw that your face was all over THE Times Square?
To be honest I kept staring at it and it felt unreal to me. It still does.
iMullar – You released OLE last month. Walk us through the creative process of the song. Also, are we getting a live version soon?
I wrote OLE during a period when I was excited to be getting to know someone and feeling their excitement to get to know me. So it was very easy to write. The body and story (lyrics) of the song were complete before I decided to take it to the studio to kinda put it together. Also yes, a lot of people have asked for an acoustic version and it’s in my plans to make one.
iMullar – Anyone that has seen you perform knows how much of a great performer you are. Should we expect a Baaba J concert soon?
I’ve had the idea for a Baaba J concert for a while and I’ve just been preparing and learning so that I can do it right the first time. So it’s in the works and I’m very excited about the day I get to announce that I’ll be hosting my concert.
iMullar – It’s been almost 3 years since you gave us a project. How soon should we expect a new project and are we going to hear your sister on there?
My next project is coming out sooner than you’ll expect. You’ll be hearing from me soon. And no my sister is not on it.
iMullar – Over the last couple of months, we’ve seen you at master classes, writing camp, and in a few other exciting places. Aside from the opportunities that come with meeting some of the influential people in attendance, what would you say you have picked up from these meetings?
I think I’ve learned that what makes people great at what they do is hard work and consistency and so I’m working on my discipline and my work ethic because it’s a key factor in every success story.
