Ghanaian-American singer Amaarae announces new album with catchy lead single ‘S. M. O. '

IOL News

24-06-2025

Amaarae has announced the release date for her highly anticipated third album, 'Black Star'.
Image: Instagram.
Ghanaian-American singer Amaarae is quite literally the star of her country's flag on the album art as she announces her upcoming album 'Black Star', which is set to drop on August 8.
The new album comes after her 2023 chart-topping sophomore album 'Fountain Baby'. The 30-year-old artist marked her return with a lead single titled 'S.M.O.', setting the tone for what's still to come.
Known for her genre-bending fusion of her signature alternative afrobeats sound, she has already given fans a glimpse into the upcoming 13-track album with 'S.M.O.', which is a blend of upbeat afro and techno instruments.
The track delves into themes of sexual liberation and empowerment, which is a no-brainer for Amaarae as an artist who usually expresses her sexual being through her music.
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'For as long as I've made music, fusion has been my strength, and I think this comes to full fruition on 'S.M.O.' The song takes inspiration from Ghanaian 80s highlife trailblazer Ata Kak and blends it with a mean Detroit club bass, a drum roll akin to both Magic System's '1er Gaou' and Michael Jackson's 'Rock With You'.
'I don't know how much clearer one can get when they ask you to 'SLUT ME OUT'. The message can't be mistaken, and the beat makes you move. That's all I want to do this summer, make people dance and feel things!,' she said in a statement.
In an interview with 'Rolling Stone', the 'Co-Star' singer revealed that she is driven to create a globally impactful album with 'Black Star', aiming for both commercial and critical success, and will not rest until she achieves it.
According to the article, 'Black Star' marks an insightful exploration of the artist's dual identity as a woman and creator, with the title and album art cleverly referencing her own persona, the Ghanaian flag and the rich Black cultural heritage that she blends in her music style.
Ghanaian singer Amaarae stuns for the 'Black Star' album art.
Image: X
In April, she made history as the first solo female Ghanaian artist to grace the Coachella stage. Additionally, she secured a tour spot with Sabrina Carpenter, which would make one wonder what the two artists have in common since their sounds are completely different.
Interestingly, Carpenter revealed that she and her friends listen to Amaarae. The 'S.M.O.' singer draws parallels between herself and Carpenter, citing that their forms of expression are not so different.
'She's a freak just like me; it's just a different kind of expression. Hers is bright and colourful; mine is dark and edgy. But we're both saying the same thing: we're sexual beings, and we are women who feel free and confident in that,' she told 'Rolling Stone'.