Highlife needs a fresh image if it is to win over Ghana’s younger generation, musician Bisa Kdei has argued, pointing to the growing influence of Afrobeats and other musical styles as a challenge to the genre’s identity.
The 40-year-old musician believes the problem is not that highlife has disappeared from contemporary Ghanaian music, but that many artistes are reluctant to describe their work as highlife because of the genre’s association with an older audience.
Speaking in an interview on Max TV, Bisa Kdei said the music industry must find better ways to define and promote highlife in an era where musical boundaries have become increasingly blurred.
“We have an identity problem, you know. Even though they are doing highlife, the way to position it or project it is a problem now because of the few genres that have popped up here in Ghana, especially like Afrobeats and whatnot,” Bisa Kdei said.
He said the perception that highlife is primarily music for older people has created an image problem for the genre, with some young artistes choosing not to attach the label to their songs despite incorporating elements of highlife into their sound.
“People are, let me just say, a bit scared to tag their songs as highlife because most people also think that highlife is for the old, and that’s the problem that I think we are facing right now, but we will get there,” he added.
Bisa Kdei believes the responsibility of changing that narrative should not rest solely on musicians. He pointed to the influence of award organisers, radio personalities, DJs and media platforms in shaping how young people perceive different genres.
He argued that greater exposure could help younger listeners understand highlife as an important part of Ghana’s musical heritage while also showing them that the genre can evolve with the times.
“Award schemes, we should change a few things in award schemes. We should get the radio, the DJs, the media to talk about highlife more to the young generation so that they can understand where they come from,” he said.
The award system, in particular, could play a significant role in encouraging emerging musicians to experiment more with highlife, according to Bisa Kdei.
He suggested that giving the genre more prominent recognition at major award ceremonies could make highlife more attractive to young artistes who may otherwise gravitate towards more commercially dominant categories.
“With the award schemes, I think maybe the overall award, if we make it like Highlife Artiste of the Year, it will push a lot of the young ones to do more highlife, yeah, and a lot is gonna change from there,” he stated.
Bisa Kdei also reflected on his own approach to collaborations, explaining that he has never restricted himself to a particular list of artistes when it comes to making music.
“I always wanna work with people. I don’t really have a specific artist, but I always wanna work so long as music is concerned.
He went on to name two highlife figures he would have particularly loved to collaborate with, Daasebre Dwamena and Daddy Lumba.
“Okay, I actually do have. I really wanted to work with him, but he is no more, Daasebre Dwamena. I really did want to. And I was supposed to do something with Dada Lumba as well. May his soul rest in peace, but you know he passed,” Bisa Kdei further stated.
@maxtv_gh “Ghanaian artistes are a bit scared to tag their songs as highlife because they think highlife is for the old” – Bisa Kdei, Ghanaian singer #Maxtv #BisaKdei ♬ original sound – MaxTV_GH
