Ghanaian soul-life sensation Abiana has made history as the first African artist to be featured in the globally acclaimed collaboration series by Latvian folk band Auli. The milestone partnership has produced a groundbreaking joint EP titled Voices of Ghana, set for release on Monday, May 26, 2025.
The project marks a dynamic fusion of traditional Ghanaian folk music with the hauntingly powerful bagpipes and thunderous drums of Baltic folklore—a unique blend of sounds that crosses continents and cultures.
Voices of Ghana is the latest installment in Auli’s Voices of the Ancestors series, a global musical exploration launched in 2019 to spotlight indigenous vocal traditions worldwide. This project represents Auli’s first collaboration with an African artist and is facilitated by Ghana-based digital music distributor Apprise Music.
In a statement, Auli founding member and producer Kaspars Barbals praised the collaboration, saying, “Our vision is to highlight the rich singing traditions around the world. Through Abiana’s voice and storytelling, we’ve captured the spirit of Ghanaian heritage in a new and meaningful way.”
Abiana, known for her masterful blend of Soul, Highlife, and Neo-Soul, rose to national prominence with her hit single Adun Lei, which earned her Best Female Vocal Performance at the 2021 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards. Her soulful depth and vocal range have since positioned her as one of Ghana’s most versatile musical exports.
On Voices of Ghana, Abiana reimagines time-honoured Ghanaian folk songs, breathing new life into them through Auli’s signature instrumentation. The result is a sonic experience that is both nostalgic and boldly experimental, blending ancient rhythms with modern energy.
Beyond music, Abiana is leading an educational campaign alongside the EP release, featuring interviews and performances that explore Ghana’s vocal traditions, folk histories, and storytelling heritage.
Michael Bamfo, CEO of Apprise Music, highlighted the broader impact of the collaboration, stating: “This project goes beyond music. It connects history, education, and innovation — aligning perfectly with our mission to elevate African music to a global audience.”
Formed in 2003 in Riga, Latvia, Auli has gained international recognition for reviving Latvia’s nearly extinct bagpipe and drum traditions through bold cross-cultural experimentation. Their collaboration with Abiana underscores music’s universal power to transcend borders and preserve cultural memory.
As the world prepares to experience Voices of Ghana, this historic release not only cements Abiana’s place on the global stage but also shines a light on the richness of Ghanaian heritage—inviting audiences everywhere to rediscover the rhythms of the ancestors.
