“Sugarcane” singer by Ghanaian artiste Raphael Camidoh Kofi Attachie aka Camidoh was the soundtrack of life for everyone in 2022. From reels to the club to headphones, the song’s popularity is underscored by its 135 million views on YouTube and 72 million plays on Spotify for just the remix version. This writer got to sit down with the singer in Ghana.
For a country that has historically been an African music powerhouse, thanks to the classic highlife beat that reverberated around the world for decades, Ghana has been punching below its weight in the continent’s current industry rankings. This underperformance by the West African nation is even more glaring when compared with the phenomenal success of its next-door neighbour, Nigeria.
“Ghanaians, Nigerians, Togolese, we love ourselves and we are big fans of each other’s products,” says Camidoh, Ghanaian Afropop R&B artist, musician, producer.
“Any rivalry would just be for the sake of healthy competition, where it is like, “oh! Look at what they are doing, let’s try and match it up,” says the 31-year-old who became a global star in 2022 thanks to his hit “Sugarcane.”
Buzz caught up with this big star of Ghanaian music, whose official name is Raphael Camidoh Attachie, in the quiet suburb of Borteyman, away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Accra.
Ghanaian artiste Raphael Camidoh Kofi Attachie aka Camidoh.
Photo credit: Pool
“Everyone who really wants to tap into the foundation of our music still goes to highlife, and we always hold it in high esteem,” he says.
In his view, Ghanaian music is currently going through an experimental phase with artists trying out different combinations of rhythms that will ultimately help re-establish the country’s musical credentials.
“Artists in my space right now, everyone is trying out new things, and in three or four years it will be the next major agenda of music to be pushed from here to the rest of the world,” he says.
“Before, I used to have the mentality that Afrobeats will be the umbrella name for music from Africa in general, but I have come to accept that there is a specific type of music that is classified as Afrobeats,” he says.
“I am very blessed to be a very versatile artist, I can make hip hop, R&B, mixed with everything that my soul, body and mind feels like doing.”
Camidoh is very excited about breaking into East Africa and working on collaborations with artists from a region which he describes as being musically “very positively insane”.
“Already Bien of Sauti Sol and myself, we have a beautiful record which I am releasing soon,” he says.
Bien Aime-Baraza of Sauti Sol band performs during Sol Fest concert at Uhuru Gardens, Nairobi on November 4, 2023.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
“Bien is an awesome artist and such a cool person to hang out with, which is one of the things I look out for. One time he visited Ghana and the A&R reached out and we were in the studio together. We never really made a record but the energy between us was so beautiful that we really wanted to do it again. So, we met in London and we made a song and you everyone will love it when it comes out.”
He says the choral vocal style is one that has made him fall in love with much of the music from East Africa.
“I like the raw voices that you hear in the choral arrangements. These are real vocalists, and then put in like 20 of these people together to sing a chorus, it feels so good. Already on my last project I brought together a bunch of people to really sing.”
That project is the uplifting, gospel-themed EP “Trustn God” which Camidoh has released as two-volume set.
“It is literally like running through my life from 2024 to 2025 and then I made these records and just decided to put them out there like to inspire people. It is more of a journey of faith, some of the things that I had to deal with, it just allowed me to trust my faith and commit to a higher power. To gain strength.”
Camidoh is also experimenting with Afro House, especially its “3-Step” variant that was pioneered by South African producer Thaksin. “The sound is beautiful! And that is what people are tapping into now so I want to be able to make music that moves people differently. I love music, there should not be a sound that is popping and I cannot do”
The Ghanian star has been inspired throughout his career by the versatility of Senegalese-American singer, songwriter, rapper and producer, Akon.
“I remember I was on the same Twitter (X) space with him and we exchanged some pleasantries and he said he was a big fan of my sound which makes me want to do more just like I see him still doing mega tours around the world. Just like Akon I want to tap into all the dimensions of music,” says Camidoh.
As he received accolades from his idol, Camidoh was enjoying global fame with the single “Sugarcane” which earned him a Viewers Choice: Best New International Act at the BET Awards in 2023.
Bien Aime Alusa during his performance in Washington DC, at the start of his USA tour 2025.
Photo credit: Pool
“Nigerian star Pato Ranking allowed me to come into his session here in Ghana and that is where I met (Nigerian producer) Phantom, and then we allowed ourselves to experiment and make music from there, which gave birth to “Sugarcane” and that really changed everything. I am so proud of that record, and I want to be able to collaborate more to find new openings like that.”
He says that it is important for artists to hold creative camps that allow other artists to come into their space to contribute to their art and also seek out producers around the world to enrich the quality of music.
Ghanaian artiste Raphael Camidoh Kofi Attachie aka Camidoh.
Photo credit: Pool
“I would go to Los Angeles and sit in the studio with different producers who allowed me to learn their ways of making music. It changed the way I saw the making of music. Periodically, I open up to other creatives, and there is always a little something from them that turns my song into an A1 record.”
As an independent artist, Camidoh has learnt that while music is beautiful and enjoyable, it is a business that requires strategic investment in branding, marketing and promotion. “For me, there are no limitations in the investment,” notes the Ghanaian who holds a university degree in marketing.
“I just want Ghana to get back to the level that it deserves to be because we make excellent music; music with great potential but most of it just remains within the borders of Ghana. Streaming has brought down the barriers, and everyone can share information with the world. We must learn how to use these tools to our advantage because if you are not doing well the world can see, and likewise, if you are doing well then everyone can see.”
