Adomaa has been on a roll since the release of The Evolution of GH Music in May 2015. Seven years later, Adomaa’s youthful rendition of some of the most popular Ghanaian songs, is still one of the most defining moments in her career. Adomaa followed the rendition with her debut single “Healing Blossom,” a soundtrack to Frame 4 studios short animation film “Once Upon A Song Bird.” Healing Blossom represents Adomaa’s first original music project after her hit mashups. It is a free fall of emotions and aspirations from Adomaa. Now, Adomaa is back with a 7-track EP tagged “Becoming Adomaa.” With her latest project, Adomaa takes listeners on a journey through her struggles with mental health, and her music and how she has transitioned into a new phase.
Joy Onyinyechukwu Adomaa Serwaa Adjeman was born a few decades ago in Nigeria to a Nigerian mother and a Ghanaian father. At a young age, Adomaa joined the choir and began to unconsciously build her craft as a musician. After her mashup video went viral, Adomaa began to take music as a profession. However, Adomaa’s musical journey was plagued with stage fright, anxiety, self-doubt and depression. On one of her earliest releases, “Voices,” Adomaa sings about her struggles with fame. She sings, “There’s a lot going on, think I need a break. How much pressure can Adomaa take they yelling “Dumb it down and cash out!” I’m wondering how long till I pass out think I’m all too scared and I’m way too stressed.” Unlike her previous project, “Barely Adomaa,” Adomaa is confidently bearing her scars in “Becoming Adomaa,” and she also creates a safe space for people struggling with mental health.
On the opening track, Adomaa reminisces on her musical journey and wishes she had done things differently. The song starts with, “Your roses hang on my walls, wilting steadily,” the roses represent her previous albums and achievements. It is a raw and emotional song. When Adomaa sings, “Wish I did it all for me,” she sings from a place of regret. By starting the album with this track, Adomaa introduces listeners to her state of mind.
On “In the clouds,” Adomaa continues to question her decisions and reminisce on her journey in the music industry. She sings, “One hit cover, life changed forever. The spotlight start to flicker.” For upcoming artistes, it is often difficult to plant their feet firmly in the industry because of how hard it is to “blow” and be recognised. In Adomaa’s case, the hit cover put her in the spotlight, but after a short time, the spotlight began to fade and she didn’t know her next step. Hence, she was stuck in the cloud. Usually, after their first hit song, artistes find it difficult to move past the success of one hit song. Adomaa is not left out of this predicament as she goes personal on “In the clouds.”
Over the Reynolds The GentleMan-produced track, “Smoke and mirrors,” Adomaa questions her appearance and tries to get answers from her mirror. She sings, “I’ve been wondering what do you see when you see me/Smoke and mirrors, one day you’ll beautiful.”