Ghanaian live music collective Senkulive launches The Revival with ‘Oblayoo’

Released on 5 August 2026, the track introduces the musical and cultural themes that will run through the project, combining elements of traditional Ghanaian music with Afro-punk, Highlife, rap and Afrobeats.

‘Oblayoo’ draws on traditional sounds from Accra and incorporates English and Ga lyrics. The song centres on a story about taking a woman to Jamestown, one of the capital's historic coastal communities, while exploring themes of Ga culture, identity and heritage.

The single is part of Senkulive’s broader approach to connecting Ghanaian musical traditions with contemporary live-band arrangements. The collective’s sound is built around live instrumentation, including keyboards, drums, bass, lead guitar and percussion, with saxophone and trumpet also featuring in its performances.

Rather than releasing The Revival as a complete project, Senkulive will issue the songs through a waterfall release strategy, with a new track scheduled approximately each month. Previously released songs will remain available on streaming platforms as the rollout progresses.

Following ‘Oblayoo’, the next release, ‘Dede’, featuring Susan August, is scheduled for 2 September. It will be followed by ‘Accra We Dey’, featuring Pure Akan and Aduberks, on 1 October; ‘Mala’, featuring Marince Omario and TiTi Owusu, on 4 November; ‘Adoley’, featuring Mr Poetivist, on 2 December; and ‘Praise’, featuring Dzidzor, on 1 January 2027.

The final single, ‘The Revival’, featuring Yung Pabi and Senanu Excite, is scheduled for 3 February 2027 and will complete the project's planned release sequence.

Each song in the rollout will also be accompanied by a live performance video, reflecting Senkulive's emphasis on live music and allowing audiences to experience the songs in an ensemble setting.

‘Oblayoo’ was written by Senkulive leader and keyboard player niiSanku Dromor and composed by the collective. Andrew James Addo recorded the track at Nafti Studios, while Knii Lant3i, who also plays guitar in the band, handled mixing and mastering.

The recording features vocals by Dromor, drums by Niiayi Lucas, bass by Derrick ‘deebass’, percussion by Mr Quist and Mawuko, saxophone by Nana Sax and trumpet by Senanu Excite.

Through The Revival, Senkulive is seeking to connect Accra's musical heritage with contemporary Ghanaian live music, using a combination of traditional influences, modern genres and live instrumentation.

‘Oblayoo’ is currently available on major streaming platforms, with its accompanying live performance video serving as the first instalment in the The Revival series.