Ghanaian afrobeats singer Gyakie says she was once booed and physically removed from the stage during an early performance at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), describing it as a “very terrible” experience that left her in tears backstage.
The artist, known for hits including “Forever”, revealed that despite encouraging online reactions to her debut single “Love Is Pretty”, her first major live outing at KNUST’s Republic Hall went badly wrong.
Speaking on the “On The Line Podcast”, Gyakie recalled: “When I dropped my first song, Love Is Pretty, I did a performance at Republic Hall, and it was very terrible. They pulled me off the stage. I remember crying when I went backstage.”
She contrasted the hostile reaction from sections of the crowd with the support she had been receiving on social media and from fellow students at KNUST.
“But the reception on the grounds, in terms of online reactions when the song dropped, from my classmates and some of the people I met on campus, was great,” she said.
However, her appearance during Republic Hall Week, one of the highlight events on the university’s social calendar, turned into a low point.
“I remember very well, during Republic Hall Week, when I went to perform, I was pulled off the stage by so many people in the crowd,” she added, stressing how vividly the incident has stayed with her.
Call for more backing for female artists
Reflecting on that period, Gyakie used the interview to argue that female musicians in Ghana and beyond still struggle to attract the same level of backing and visibility as their male peers.
She said operating in what she described as a male-driven space forces women to put in additional work simply to be noticed.
“Being a female in gjis industry, it takes extra effort to do certain things because it is already male-dominated. I feel like people don’t really pay attention to females,” she said.
Without naming specific acts, Gyakie pointed to other women who, in her view, have delivered substantial projects but not received proportionate attention.
“We have other female artists who have dropped albums, EPs, and done shows, but the attention is not as heavy as it should be,” she explained.
Gyakie believes the industry and audiences should match the energy and enthusiasm often directed at male performers when responding to the work of women.
“I think females also have to get the same type of energy that is given to, you know, male artists as well, because the girls are also working very hard,” she said.
The singer’s comments offer a rare glimpse into the early setbacks behind her rise and highlight the broader debate over recognition and support for female artists in the Ghanaian music scene.
