Ever heard the name Moliy?
Moliy is a female afro-fusion singer whose ancestry swirls between a rich mix of Ghanian and American. The year 2020 boosted her recognition when her debut EP “Wondergirl” kept Africans busy in the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you haven’t heard of her, you might want to keep reading.
The first time I heard a song by Moliy, I believe I did a double-take to check if it was Amaarae. After a couple more listens, I could tell the difference. Even with her stark vocal resemblance to Amaarae’s angel-like whispers that just graze your ears and kick off melodic bells in your head, Moliy’s voice still stands out.
She sings in what I can only describe as… soft. Soft and definitely not in a hurry. Her voice comes with a melodic purpose to take you on a slow and steady journey.
Moliy’s Debut
Before the youngster started creating records in the studio, Moliy would sing a lot of freestyles and post them to her audience on social media and that kept her audience growing with each new day. One particularly iconic moment was when she posted a freestyle to one of Rema’s songs and it hooked even Don Jazzy. He reposted it on social media and that made her audience grow even more. In an interview with Allhiphop, she spoke about how motivating that particular moment was for her.
Moliy’s debut EP was “Wondergirl”. With just six tracks, she managed to convince Africans that her music was worth listening to. Her sound got famous mostly across Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya. The melodies on Wondergirl provide a striking blend with her voice that liberates and catches your attention all at once. After hearing one track, I wanted to hear what the next would sound like, and what the next would sound like. Can you blame me, though?, “Ghana Bop” sounds like something I’d never get tired of bopping to. I think of her music as a wormhole that pulls you in without you noticing it.
In 2021, an anthem by Moliy and Amaarae hit the afro-pop charts, “I really like to party, I cannot control my body…”
If you’re already singing along, then you know the song I’m referring to.
“SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY” was a track that stayed on the international charts and on our lips for a long, long time because who doesn’t love a good song from two Afro queens?
Moliy often speaks about how she was the one who shot her shot with Amaarae, sliding into her DMs and asking her for a collaboration. I think that was pretty brave of her. That led to the recording of SGLM, a track that boosted Moliy further into the limelight. Subsequently, that opened her eyes up to all the possibilities from that single opportunity… incredible.
As for the year 2022, Moliy’s most recent feat was a single released in early June, “The Place”. This was another amazing accomplishment for Moliy because it was created for AppleMusic’s Juneteenth 2022 freedom songs playlist. Not just that, she was the only African involved in that project.
This is a particularly special song that speaks about the hope of being in a place that feels safe, just like home. I’ve had this on repeat for a minute now. If you’re looking for that zen aura that is typical of a Moliy song, this is your go-to.
We can only wait with excitement for more releases from Moliy. It is clear that Africans have fallen in love with her sound. And we all know what happens to sounds that Africans love… before long, they’ll be topping international charts.
Moliy’s next project is titled “Honey Doom”. Do you think she is going to surprise us? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see!
