Gyakie

Jackline Acheampong (born 16 December 1999), known professionally as Gyakie, aka Song Bird, is a Ghanaian R&B and afro-fusion singer. In 2019, Gyakie released her debut single, “Love is Pretty”, which paved the way for another single, “Never Like This”. In August 2020, the “Forever” song from her five-track EP Seed enjoyed airplay and led the charts in Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria. Gyakie’s father is Nana Acheampong.

Early life and education

Gyakie was raised in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. She graduated from T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School, Kumasi and completed her undergraduate studies at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), where she majored in International Business.

Career

Gyakie was born into a family of musicians, and by age eight, she had started joining her father in the studio. She was also influenced by Aṣa and Ghanaian musician Omar Sterling of R2Bees.

Gyakie endured pressure at the early stage of her music journey. She told DJ Edu in a BBC Africa interview that she was often in tears when she started commercial music because her management was bent on achieving results.

Gyakie released her first single, “Love Is Pretty”, in February 2019, and then released “Never Like This”. She released a five-track EP, titled Seed, in August 2020. The “Forever” track on the Seed EP enjoyed airplay in Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria. It topped music charts such as Billboard’s Top Triller Global and Shazam’s Top 200 charts. Gyakie released a remix of “Forever” with Nigerian singer Omah Lay in March 2021. That same month, she was named the emerging woman of the year at the 2021 3Music Women’s Brunch for the 3Music Awards 2021.

She has signed an international record deal with Sony Music Entertainment, RCA Records UK, and Sony Music Africa.

In March 2022, Gyakie was named the Woman of the Year for the 3Music Awards 2022 during the 3Music Women’s brunch.

In June 2022, Gyakie was featured on the Grammys’ “Herbal tea and white sofas” interview, a new series where artists reveal their backstage must-haves.

She released her second EP, My Diary, in July 2022. The EP features Nigerian musician Davido. She also released a new single, “December”, in April 2024.