Written By Nana Kojo Mula
Ginius has always lived between Ghana and the UK, working as a producer and vocalist while fusing her Ghanaian highlife roots with contemporary R&B and other Western genres. On her latest EP, “Here’s Where We Once Were”, she turns the duality of her worlds and influences into a destination.
Arguably one of her most personal bodies of work yet, the 7-track tape archives a love story through a spectrum from softness to heartbreak, from “Love Me Softly” to “Lost & Numb”. The project is less about why love ends and more about how we choose to remember how we once loved. For iMullar, we sat down with Ginius to talk about the new project and everything in between.
It has been a while since you dropped a project. What inspired you to make this project?
Life and its seasons inspired the tape, but honestly, it’s been kinda ready since 2024, waiting for everything to align before dropping it.
“Here’s Where We Once Were” sounds like what used to be. How different is your life now from what it was before this tape?
Very different. I had to grow and mature in ways I wasn’t expecting since the last tape. I’ve moved several times, travelled a few places, and even changed cars. I’m grateful for the memories and lessons along the way.
You lean into Afro R&B and Amapiano on this project. How do you balance your Ghanaian sonic foundation with the other global sounds?
It’s quite easy for me, as being Ghanaian is who I am. I can blend it into whatever I do, as it’s my core. Whether back home or in the diaspora, we are used to R&B and Amapiano sounds; personalising it with the mother tongue isn’t that hard.
You are a producer before an artist, and as such, one would assume you would take full production charge on the project, but rather, you had other producers produce. What made you step back from self-producing and allowing others to produce for you?
I wanted to not do it “all” on this tape, but I collaborated on a few of the productions. I worked with great producers on this project, some completely new to this, like KFM, but the tape wouldn’t be what it is without my veterans, Insvne Auggie, and Joker Nharnah.
This tape feels like a cycle of love. How much of Ginius is in this tape, and which song will say was the hardest to write?
That is because it is a cycle of love, from the butterflies in the beginning to heartbreak. The hardest songs are the heartbreak songs, as sadness is never a pleasant feeling, but it is a feeling. If I had to pick between the 2 heartbreak songs, I would say “So You Do” was the hardest, as it was very real.
You bridge between your roots in Ghana and the life you have in the UK. How have you been able to carry your co-pilots along, knowing how diverse your audience is?
Social media is a great way to stay in touch with the people who love the work. Over the years, I dropped singles, but no birthday went by that I wasn’t asked, “When is the tape coming?” I usually drop in August, so it wasn’t a surprise, but it showed copilots still cared, and I hope I delivered. So far, I’ve been told I have, so the community and I are happy.
Love can be a lot, but from the perspective you share on this tape, what you do is the best expression of any type of love.
Kindness, and doing something you know you won’t get anything back.
Do you feel people have been able to grasp the theme of the project as much as you hoped they would?
I think so, but most people say if they remember one thing, it’s the melody and the vibe. They usually say, “I can’t get ‘Love Me Softly’ out of my head, brb, let me go message this person that I care about.” This, to me, is very sweet, as they are associating the song with a memory.
Should we expect any shows or showcases of you anytime soon, either in the UK or Ghana?
Fingers crossed. Hopefully this year, we’ll come home if all things work out.
What are your last words to anyone reading this?
Stay True, Show Love, Be Blessed, and enjoy the catalogue of ginius.
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