Amaarae

Biography

Ama Serwah Genfi (born July 4, 1994), known professionally as Amaarae, is a Ghanaian-American singer and songwriter. She is known for her fusion of pop, R&B, Afrobeats, and alté, as well as her fluid representation of gender and sexuality. After collaborating with local artists and putting out a few non-album singles, she released her debut EP, Passionfruit Summers×Passionfruit Summers30 November 2017 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1Sundays3:032Catching a Wav3:153Happy Mistakes3:544Fluid2:265Hawaii1:466Passionfruit Summers4:35, in 2017.
In 2020, Amaarae released her debut album The Angel You Don't Know to critical acclaim. The song "Sad Girlz Luv Money" featuring Moliy gained popularity on TikTok. In 2021 the song was remixed with a feature from Kali Uchis and charted globally. Pitchfork labeled the album "Best New Music" and named it the 19th best album of 2020.
On June 9, 2023, she released her highly anticipated second album Fountain Baby×Fountain Baby9 June 2023 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1All My Love0:432Angels in Tibet2:223Co-Star2:464Princess Going Digital3:095Big Steppa2:566Reckless & Sweet2:397Wasted Eyes2:288Counterfeit2:369Disguise2:4910Sex, Violence, Suicide4:1311Sociopathic Dance Queen2:1912Aquamarie Luvs Ecstasy4:3813Water From Wine2:3614Come Home to God3:19 to rave reviews. In August 2025, she released Black Star, her third studio album. S.M.O, a single off the album, was ranked as the 3rd best song of 2025 in Pitchfork's 2025 list of Top 100 song.

Early life

Amaarae was born in the Bronx, New York to Ama Bawuah and Kwadwo Boateng Genfi and was raised between Atlanta, New Jersey and Accra, Ghana. She is the elder of two children. Amaarae wrote her first song at the age of 13. During her teenage years, she enjoyed watching music videos and said that one of her most vivid memories was watching the music video for the Kelis song "Young, Fresh n' New". She recalls Kelis' unique expression being an inspiration for her.
She attended Ghana International School for a few years. During high school, she started making mixtapes. By the age of 17, she took up an internship at a music studio. She went to Agnes Scott College, where she studied English literature and took classes in music business. After graduating, she returned to Ghana in June 2017.

Career

Amaarae wrote her first mixtape, In Splendid Isolation, ISI for short, at 17 years old while in Ghana. It features the songs "She Came First", Amaarae's take on Cassie and Ryan Leslie's "Addiction", and the song "CrukdStr8", her spin on Big Sean's "A$$".
Amaarae released her debut project Passionfruit Summers in 2017. The album features the song "Fluid", which was complemented by a music video.
Amaarae was named one of Apple Music Africa's Favourite New Artists in April 2018 and later that year became an Apple Music Beats 1 featured artist for her debut project Passionfruit Summers which she released through her independent record label, Golden Child LLC on November 30, 2017. In November 2018 she performed with Teni, BOJ and Odunsi (The Engine) at ART X Lagos, an art fair in Lagos, Nigeria.
Amaarae has also been acknowledged for her style and fashion sense. In 2018, she was featured in Vogue online in an article on four women across the globe with buzz haircuts and was mentioned as one of Vogue online's Top 100 Style Influencers of 2018. She was nominated as Artist of the Year at the Glitz Style Awards in Ghana. She has also patronized Ghanaian fashion brand Free The Youth.
On March 23, 2019, Amaarae was chosen to perform at the first Boiler Room event in Accra alongside La Meme Gang (A Collective comprising Nxwrth, RJZ, KwakuBS, Darkovibes, Kiddblack and $pacely) and rapper Kwesi Arthur.
Amaarae has since collaborated with Stonebwoy, Kojey Radical, M3NSA, Santi, Blaqbonez, Buju, Odunsi, B4bonah. In 2019, she collaborated with the Nigerian singer-songwriter Wande Coal.
On November 12, 2020, Amaarae released her debut studio album, The Angel You Don't Know. Owen Myers of Pitchfork wrote that it "crackles with innovation, a pacesetter at a time when industry bigwigs are waking up to the long-held truth that Africa is setting the global tempo for pop music."
In May 2022, Amaarae, together with Black Sherif, Stonebwoy and Smallgod met Kendrick Lamar when he visited Ghana and held a private album listening party in Accra for his new album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.
On June 9, 2023, she released her sophomore album Fountain Baby×Fountain Baby9 June 2023 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1All My Love0:432Angels in Tibet2:223Co-Star2:464Princess Going Digital3:095Big Steppa2:566Reckless & Sweet2:397Wasted Eyes2:288Counterfeit2:369Disguise2:4910Sex, Violence, Suicide4:1311Sociopathic Dance Queen2:1912Aquamarie Luvs Ecstasy4:3813Water From Wine2:3614Come Home to God3:19 via Interscope Records. The release also came with the news that she had become the first Ghanaian to appear on NPR Tiny Desk.
On April 14, 2025, Amaarae made history as the first Ghanaian artist to perform a solo set at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Her performance on the Gobi Stage featured unreleased tracks and songs by Ghanaian artists such as La Même Gang, Eazzy, Joey B, and the Asakaa Boys. During the set, she announced her upcoming album Black Star×BLACK STAR8 August 2025 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Stuck Up2:322Starkilla3:083ms602:294Kiss Me Thru the Phone pt 23:385B2B4:176She Is My Drug3:297Girlie-Pop!2:048S.M.O.4:309Fineshyt3:4010Dove Cameron2:3311Dream Scenario4:5912100DRUM3:4513FREE THE YOUTH3:09 and notably shaved her head on stage, a move that garnered significant attention on social media.
On August 8, 2025, Amaarae released her third album Black Star. The official music video for "Fineshyt" was also released on the same day.