Popular Ghanaian sound producer, GuiltyBeatz, has reminisced the serendipitous journey that landed him in the studio with global superstar Beyoncé.
In a recent episode of the Sincerely Accra podcast, GuiltyBeatz revealed that he was among 20 producers handpicked for what turned out to be a surprise audition. The twist? He had just returned to Ghana, drained and jet-lagged, when the opportunity struck.
“I had just landed in Ghana from a trip. I was a bit jet-lagged but had a session scheduled with a few other producers. We were just vibing in the studio when Beyoncé’s team suddenly showed up,” he recalled.
Unprepared and uninspired in the moment, he was soon thrust into a conference room where each producer was asked to showcase their work, an unexpected and high-pressure setting.
“I just landed and they took me straight to that conference room and they were passing the Aux cables around and they were like you play, you play. No, she wasn’t around so I was like what kind of pressure is this,” he said.
With no new material to lean on, GuiltyBeatz reached into his archive and played the instrumental for Thomas Pompoyɛyaw, a song he had earlier produced for rapper Pappy Kojo. Despite its deeply local and highlife-inspired tone, the response from Beyoncé’s team was instant and electric.
“I wasn’t sure what to expect, honestly. It’s a very local, highlife-inspired beat, very authentic to the Ghanaian sound. But to my surprise, they were feeling it! They liked the energy, the bounce, everything. That was the beat that caught their attention,” the Ghanaian producer divulged.
What followed next was a career-defining moment. Just 24 hours later, Beyoncé herself was in his studio.
“The very next day, she came to my studio with her entire team. We locked in and started working right away. It was surreal. She was down-to-earth, focused, and really open to experimenting with African rhythms,” he said.
That session marked the beginning of GuiltyBeatz’s involvement with The Lion King: The Gift, Beyoncé’s critically acclaimed 2019 project celebrating African music and culture. He would go on to co-produce fan favorites such as Already featuring Shatta Wale and Keys to the Kingdom.
Looking back, GuiltyBeatz credits the experience as a lesson in staying authentic and always being ready.
“It taught me that sometimes, all you have to do is show up and stay true to your sound. You never know who’s listening,” he concluded.
Watch what he said in the video below.
You’ll never guess which song @guiltybeatz played for Beyoncé’s team before he got picked! #GCRSA #GHPOD #SincerelyAccra
— SincerelyAccra (@SincerelyAccra) June 23, 2025
Watch: https://t.co/C59ZLgQtfE pic.twitter.com/tM5PmvDbq6
