Apple Music today announced Afro R&B-soul songstress, Mellissa as the latest musician to be featured in its Up Next artist development program in Ghana.
“Sending massive love to Apple Music for choosing me as their Up Next artist in my beautiful homeland of Ghana,” she tells Apple Music. “My single ‘Me & U’ is all about sharing the infectious, sexy vibes of Afro music with the world!” Mellissa’s love for music is rooted in the early memories of the sounds from her mother’s restaurant, which was situated next door to her family home, and amplified by her exposure to Ghana’s underground vocal talents like Ofori Amponsah and KK Fosu, as well as world renown reggaeton and dancehall artist, Sean Paul.
Citing Alicia Keys, Rosalía and Rihanna as her core inspirations, Mellissa has managed to explore a melange of sounds that incorporate a core R&B-pop influence with Afro melodies to create a fusion of soulfulness. After beginning to work on her own music during lockdown, Mellissa released her debut single “Limelight” (2021) shortly after, a groove-rooted track that talks about confronting a half-hearted partner.
Her latest single “Me & U” (2023), available to stream on Apple Music and released independently, skillfully blends Latin, reggae, and R&B-soul elements to create a sensual melody, amplified by her heartfelt lyrics.
Apple Music’s Up Next artist development program has had a fruitful history of spotlighting the next wave of creative talent since it was established in August 2017, with Nigerian Grammy Award-winning superstars, Burna Boy and Tems, the first two African artists to be spotlighted on a global scale in 2019 and 2021 respectively.
Expanding to showcase South African talent in March 2021, and then later Nigerian talent in July 2021, Apple Music has had its finger on the pulse of African talent as the eyes and ears of the world have shifted to the melting pot of sounds emerging from the continent.
As the latest Up Next act to be spotlighted in Ghana, Mellissa will be featured across Apple Music’s East Africa Up Next playlist. The curated Up Next playlist features a dynamic class of new and emerging artists, thoughtfully hand-picked by Apple Music editors from around the world. The playlist is genre-agnostic and represents a line-up of artists our global editors are passionate about and eager to expose to a larger audience. The vast global Up Next roster of past talent includes Grammy-nominated and critically lauded talent like 6lack, Daniel Caesar, H.E.R., Greta Van Fleet, Khalid, Amy Shark, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Claudio, Sigrid, Mr Eazi, Stefflon Don, Bad Bunny, Juice WLRD, Bazzi, Jax Jones, NCT 127, Summer Walker, Tierra Whack, Dean Lewis, Pink Sweat$, Koffee, Megan Thee Stallion, Burna Boy, Clairo, Lunay, Jessie Reyez, Orville Peck, Victoria Monét, Ingrid Andress, Conan Gray, Don Toliver, Rema, BENEE, Holly Humberstone, Natanael Cano, Givēon, beabadoobee, Arlo Parks, Tate McRae, Foushee and Tems
