Award-winning Ghanaian singer and songwriter Abiana has unveiled a cross-cultural music collaboration with Auli, an international folk group known for their contemporary approach to traditional sound. The project brings together artists from different musical backgrounds through a shared commitment to storytelling, emotional depth, and cultural respect.
Rooted in sincerity rather than commercial trends, the collaboration blends Abiana’s expressive vocals and indigenous Ghanaian languages with Auli’s layered folk arrangements. The result is an intimate and reflective soundscape that highlights shared human themes of care, family, and community, demonstrating how traditional music can travel across cultures without losing its identity.
Speaking on the collaboration
Abiana described the creative process as organic and deeply personal.
Music speaks before words do. Once we entered that shared space, everything flowed. The arrangement beautifully challenged me and pulled something very honest out of me. That is where the real connection was born.
At the heart of the project is traditional Ghanaian folk material passed down orally across generations. Abiana performs in Akan (Twi), Ga, and Ewe, drawing from songs associated with childhood, care, and communal life. These themes align closely with Auli’s own folk traditions, allowing the collaboration to unfold as a dialogue between cultures rather than a forced fusion.
The project was initiated and facilitated by Apprise Music & Media, following a connection with Auli at WOMEX. According to Apprise Music, the focus was on creating a respectful environment for artistic exchange, allowing the artists to lead the collaboration through curiosity, trust, and shared values.
Our goal is not to export sound for novelty, but to create respectful, creative bridges,” said Michael Bamfo, Founder and CEO of Apprise Music & Media. “This project shows what is possible when artists meet on equal ground, guided by cultural integrity and strong artistic values.
The accompanying music video reflects the same philosophy. Filmed at Shai Hills Resource Reserve in Ghana, it prioritises mood, presence, and expression over spectacle, allowing the cultural exchange and emotional weight of the music to guide the visual narrative.
The collaboration reached a significant milestone with a live performance at the RocAfrik Music and Arts Festival in Ghana, curated by Apprise Music & Media. Performed before a diverse audience, the set brought the project’s themes of connection and shared humanity to life, receiving strong engagement from festivalgoers.
“Abiana and Auli met not as representatives of countries, but as artists responding to shared human stories.” – RocAfrik Music and Arts Festival
The Abiana and Auli collaboration, “Senwa De Dende”, is now available on all major digital streaming platforms, with the official music video streaming on YouTube. Further updates, performance highlights, and behind-the-scenes content will be shared across Abiana’s official platforms.
Post-Performance Highlight: RocAfrik Music and Arts Festival
The collaboration between Abiana and Auli reached a defining moment with a live performance at the RocAfrik Music and Arts Festival, where the project’s spirit moved from studio recording to shared experience.
Performed before a diverse audience of music lovers and cultural stakeholders, the set translated the collaboration’s core themes of connection, care, and shared humanity into a compelling live moment. Joined by supporting artists, Abiana and Auli delivered a performance that wove together vocal tradition, contemporary folk arrangements, and collective expression, holding the audience’s attention from start to finish.
Curated by Apprise Music & Media, the RocAfrik Music and Arts Festival serves as a platform for artistic exchange, live performance, and cultural dialogue. The festival continues to position itself as a meeting point where African creativity engages global perspectives through music, arts, and community-driven programming.
