Camidoh on uniting cultures and spreading positivity with his sound

Following the recent release of his mixtape, L.I.T.A, the BET Award nominee speaks to Music In Africa about the sonic vision of the project, which finds him reflecting on his artistic journey and identity as a Ghanaian artist propagating a message of unity and positivity.

The artist, now firmly part of an exciting crop of new-age West African pop stars, also touches on Ghanaian music’s profound influence on the diaspora, particularly in the US and UK, as well as balancing his success with charity efforts.

MUSIC IN AFRICA: Let’s start with the resounding success of ‘Sugarcane’. How does it feel to have your music amass over 200 million streams and inspire over 100 million TikTok creations?

CAMIDOH: It feels like a blessing. First, I feel blessed to be alive. Second, to have had the inspiration to make a beautiful record like ‘Sugarcane’ that inspires over a million people in the world is a blessing. 

You’ve had the opportunity to tour the world, performing in major cities like London, Amsterdam, Dubai, New York and Paris. How has this international exposure impacted your career and artistic growth?

Performing on international stages has given me a different view of what performances are like on a global level, especially considering my goal of becoming a global icon in the coming years. It offers me the experience I need to chase my dreams.

You’ve regularly cited Senegalese-American star Akon as a key technical model for your craft. What is it about him, and are there other artists or genres that have influenced your musical style and sound?

Akon is the reason I started making music. So, everywhere I go, I mention his name just so the world knows what an inspiration he has been to me. Generally, when I put out new music, it is to inspire the world. I never want to put out stuff to ruin people’s lives or whatever it is negatively. It’s always on a positive note to inspire people and keep them going. 

L.I.T.A marks a significant milestone in your career. How do you feel about this release, and what do you hope it accomplishes in terms of personal growth and professional recognition?

As an individual, I’ve just been blessed with very loving people throughout my upbringing. Everything that happened in my life that has shaped my life kinda happened through the process of love and kindness. That’s basically where the inspiration for the title came from. Generally, Ghana is a very peaceful place, so the dots just connect.

L.I.T.A features collaborations with notable artists from Ghana and beyond, including M.anifest, Stonebwoy, King Promise, Mayorkun and more. How did these collaborations come about, and what was the experience like working with such diverse talents?

Every single collaboration on the tape is very organic. Those are my friends, colleagues I believe I’m on good terms with. Everyone brought a beautiful spirit to the record.

Ghanaian music has had a profound impact on the diaspora, particularly in the US and UK. How do you perceive the influence and reception of Ghanaian music in these regions, and how does it inspire your own musical pursuits?

I think Ghanaian music is beautiful. It has always impacted the world. So, this is just a different generation reiterating that impact. For me, I feel blessed to be part of this generation doing the beautiful things we are doing with our sound.

Beyond your music, you’ve also launched the charity initiative Save The Kids With Camidoh in Accra, which aims to support single mothers who struggle with hospital bills. Can you tell us more about this initiative and what inspired you to start it?

Save the Kids with Camidoh is an initiative we started when a fan asked me how I’m going to use my fame to impact and reinvest in society. I decided to look the way of mothers who were stuck in the hospital because they were unable to pay hospital bills after giving birth. I was raised by a single mother so this effort is near and dear to my heart.

As someone who has experienced challenges in upbringing, how important is it for you to use your platform to raise awareness and support for Ghanaian mothers and those in need?

I think it is important to raise that awareness regardless of who you are. Mothers are the people that carried us. They carry the future. So it’s always important, not only for Ghanaian mothers but mothers globally. We need to raise awareness to give them a better life like lifting them out of their struggles. I think it’s extremely important to take care of our mothers.

How do you balance your role as a successful musician with your philanthropic efforts?

First, a correction, I’m not a successful musician. It’s just love. We don’t need all of these titles. We just need to show love  –  use our strengths to show love. You know what I mean? Kindness is the way forward, if you have enough, just share some extra with some people. That’s what the mentality should be about. I don’t think I’m a stressful musician, I’m just blessed for sharing my talent with the world and stretching forth to save the same people who I think are less privileged shouldn’t even be a bother or a problem for me to think about anytime, anywhere.