Wiyaala sings in her regional mother tongues, which no one here understands. Her hair is twisted upwards like E.T.’s pointing finger, her laughter is loud and infectious, her performance one long act of standing tall — according to the criteria of the Western music industry, she is “unmarketable” — and precisely for that reason, so successful.
Wiyaala has long been a household name in Africa, a superstar in her native Ghana, and here in Schaffhausen an artist who captivated her audience from the very first note. It was her only concert in Switzerland, on Saturday evening at the packed Seldas, invited by Ghana Vision — a Schaffhausen-based aid organization that for 35 years has provided eye-care services in northwestern Ghana.
Her music grips you. “Segerige” begins to play, and one feels transported to a village community, where a young girl is talking with an older woman about life’s unpredictability and the courage to face it. Even if you don’t understand the lyrics — sung in Waale, one of the languages of northwestern Ghana — Wiyaala paints a picture in sound through her breathy tones and short, throaty whoops. This is how she honours a folk melody from her region while also encouraging her listeners. “In Ghana, history is passed down orally,” she says. Music, therefore, is more than artistic expression — music is communication.
She uses it as such in songs like “Merikaka” or “Pete Pete,” written especially for children and youth. “Merikaka” (“Meerkat”) is a playful warning to the impatient younger generation to listen to the wisdom of their elders — not to rush blindly into disaster like those cute but stubborn animals. Fast, cheerful, full of small repetitions — many in the audience tap their thighs or nod along to the rhythm. But that’s not enough for Noella Wiyaala, as she is known offstage. Her audience must sing along — as in “Pete Pete” or “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” a pop classic. Choreography, rhythm, and repetition together create a sense of community.
Yet above all, it’s Wiyaala’s voice that continually surprises. Whether in “Valla,” where she begins in the delicate high tones of a young girl asking what her life’s purpose might be, then replies in the deep, powerful voice of a mature woman. She is accompanied by Slovenian guitarist Miha Petric, who strikes a balance between grounding and giving space, his guitar running with light flourishes that sound almost Spanish.
Or in the serious, reflective pieces “Scorpion” and “Welcome Home,” which explore painful life experiences from different perspectives — always without losing the touch of humor that runs like a thread through all her work. Even in moments of sorrow, she finds light and comfort, as in “The Captain’s Lament,” where her calm delivery and her inner dialogue between question and answer — paired with Petric’s gentle playing — offer a deep sense of solace. In “We Are Going,” she lightens even serious passages with affectionate nudges.
To accept life as it is, to encourage and support one another — for this Ghanaian artist, those are not mere words but tangible actions. She runs a cultural centre for children and young people and has performed with a blind children’s choir in her homeland, all in partnership with Ghana Vision Schaffhausen. Wiyaala gives voice; Ghana Vision gives sight. The audience demanded three encores.
Review by Indrani Das Schmid
“Segerige” – Wiyaala’s 4th studio album is out 5th December 2025. Pre-save this link to be amongst the first to listen on your favourite channel
Source: ameyawdebrah.com/
