Ghanaian singer, OliveTheBoy, has addressed criticism regarding the Nigerian influence in his music, clarifying that his style is rooted in the broader Afrobeats genre rather than mimicry.
Speaking on The AfroBeats Podcast, the “Goodsin” crooner pushed back on comments suggesting his sound leans too heavily toward Nigerian musical elements.
According to him, such comparisons are misplaced and stem from a misunderstanding of what it means to make Afrobeats music.
“Me sounding Nigerian is not intentional,” he said. “People feel it’s negative, but to me, if you doing Afrobeats, you need to sound like an Afrobeats artiste.”
Known for his smooth melodies and infectious hooks, OliveTheBoy has quickly risen in prominence across West Africa. He believes the backlash is slowly fading as audiences become more familiar with the genre’s fluid nature.
“I think people are getting to accept it now,” he added.
His remarks come amid a wider conversation on musical identity and the blending of cultural sounds in West African music. Artistes like OliveTheBoy are helping to evolve Afrobeats, challenging traditional boundaries tied to nationality.
Meanwhile, the singer is gearing up for the release of his new EP titled Out of the Blue, which is set to drop on April 11.
In a post on X, he reiterated his stance: “Me sounding Nigerian is not intentional. People feel it’s negative, but to me, if you doing Afrobeats, you need to sound like an Afrobeats artiste. I think people are getting to accept it now.”
