Ghanaian highlife musician Bisa Kdei, born Ronald Kwaku Dei Appiah, has announced a new concert scheduled for December, while revealing plans to release both an album and an EP before the end of the year.
The musician made the disclosure on the maiden episode of FrancoVybz, a new podcast from YFM in partnership with the Embassy of France in Ghana, which explores the connections between Ghana and the Francophone world through music, culture, creativity, education and business.
Bisa Kdei revealed that his upcoming concert, dubbed “The Convention,” will take place on 20 December at the East Legon Underbridge Annex. He described the event as the first of its kind and noted that the announcement was being made exclusively on YFM.
Beyond the concert, the musician also disclosed that he is working on two new music projects; an album and an EP, which are both expected to be released this year.
“I am working on my album and I am working on my EP as well, which is going to come out great. I believe in myself very well and it’s been a long time since I put out a project like that and I hope people love it,” he said.
The upcoming releases come as Bisa Kdei continues to build his presence beyond Ghana, particularly within Francophone music markets.
Speaking about collaborations between African artistes, the musician said collaborations are sometimes driven simply by creative instinct, while at other times business considerations play an important role.
“Sometimes you create a song and you feel this artiste will do great at it and then you go for it. Sometimes too, putting the business and creativity together makes more sense because you enjoy what you are doing and have to make money as well,” he said.
Bisa Kdei also believes Ghanaian musicians have more room to explore the Francophone music space, despite some Ghanaian artistes already making inroads into the region.
Responding to a question about whether Ghanaian artistes are doing enough to tap into Francophone markets, he said there was still more work to be done.
“There is still more room, we are getting there,” he said, adding that even though he has already made progress in the Francophone space, there are further heights he hopes to reach.
He encouraged other Ghanaian artistes to look towards the region and explore opportunities beyond Ghana’s more traditional music markets.
For Bisa Kdei, one of the biggest lessons Ghana can learn from Francophone countries is how they support and market their own music.
Reflecting on a recent week-long stay in Côte d’Ivoire, he said he observed how strongly the country’s music industry supports its artistes and promotes its own musical identity.
He argued that Ghana could benefit from adopting a similar approach rather than constantly adapting its music to fit other markets.
Bisa Kdei also challenged the perception that language creates a significant barrier between Ghana and Francophone countries.
He noted that despite differences in language, there are strong similarities in the way people across the region live, interact and welcome visitors.
The conversation formed part of the first episode of FrancoVybz, hosted by award-winning broadcaster Rev. Erskine. The podcast seeks to examine the cultural, creative and professional connections between Ghana and the Francophone world, while creating a platform for discovery and exchange among young audiences.
FrancoVybz airs on YFM every Saturday at 3:30pm, with a repeat on Wednesdays at 10pm. Episodes are also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Audiomack under the name FrancoVybz.