Rooted and sitting pretty in West London, Br3nya is a British Ghanaian rapper supplying fresh, feisty and fun rhymes to accompany well-fused rhythms. Known most notably for hit singles such as ‘Double Dutch’, ‘Plenty (Too Trendy)’ and ‘Good Food’, she does not shy away from turning up the heat to reach a melting point of influences and cultures. Her lyrics are filled with empowerment and acceptance, leaning into the braggadocious allure of African female icons that preceded her such as Mzbel. Br3nya’s visual identity is like no other. She incorporates vibrant colours and styles to accompany her sound, serving as an ode to Nollywood, Ghallywood and appealing to the inner sass in her listeners. Her latest single ‘WOAH’ proves that she is indeed still ticking.

B-R-3-to the N-Y-A entered the Hoezine chatroom to discuss how dual heritage has shaped her career, navigating the Black Music scene in the UK and the importance of collaboration amongst female artists and across the globe. 

Sharon O: Who are your musical influences and why? 

Br3nya: I have a very wide variety of media influences ranging from Nicki Minaj to Amy Winehouse. Nicki inspired me to rap at 14 years old whilst Amy Winehouse brings out the sultry side of me. Special mention to Wizkid, my GOAT. 

SO: Which sounds piqued your interest growing up? Which sounds dominated your household in your early years? 

B: I grew up on Garage, in the era of So Solid Crew. That was a time when music was about enjoyment and barring. This, paired with Ghanaian highlife/hiplife, was the soundtrack of my household growing up. Going from hall party to hall party with my family, every Ghanaian knows that nostalgic feeling when listening to Hiplife and Highlife. It’s timeless music. My parents played Daddy Lumba and Ofori Amponsah religiously in the house alongside the other stars of the genre. 

SO: How can listeners support Ghanaian women in their respective genres? 

B: Listeners have to be intentional about branching out from artists they are familiar with. We are there and we are working. I think we would benefit from more exposure.

SO: What can we expect from Br3nya this year? 

B: More great music. I want to have an international impact now more than ever. With this being my fifth year in the scene, I want to bring my supporters something new. I will be collaborating with artists from all over Africa. I don’t see myself as a UK artist, I want global notoriety.

SO: Who would you like to work with from the motherland and why?

B: I would like to work with Kojo Blak. He’s been doing his thing recently. He has a good understanding of the GH scene. A collaboration with Amaarae would be crazy, I love her music. 

SO: If you had to give your sound a name, what would it be called and why? 

B: I would call it Afro-fusion because I borrow from Afrobeats the most. However, because I rap, there’s always a touch of the UK sound in my work. 

SO: Name one Highlife hit you cannot live without.

B: It would have to be Otoolege by Ofori Amponsah. Everyone can agree how much of a banger that song is and that’s why I had to sample it for my song ‘Homecoming Freestyle’.

SO: You recently dropped your EP titled ‘Innit-innit Girl’. What’s your favourite track? 
B: My favourite track changes all the time but I think it would have to be ‘Softlife Anthem’. It’s a song for the girls and it’s a relatable mantra. ‘Softlife Anthem’ reflects on the life girls aspire for and the desire to have fun. 

SO: What does it mean to be an innit-innit girl? Where does the term originate from? 

B: It’s a term local Ghanaians give British Ghanaians based on the way we dress, act and speak. I coined a term usually used to insult British Ghanaians and owned it with pride. I am proud of being a girl that can represent Ghana and the UK. 

SO: Moliy was the only female feature on your EP and appeared in ‘No Lovin’. How did the track come about? 

B: Me and Moliy had been planning to come together on a track for a while and the opportunity presented itself when she flew down to London. We linked up in the studio, had a few drinks and started complaining about our love lives. Naturally, the things we complained about turned into a song which is why it sounds authentic and effortless - it was based off of a real and frank conversation between friends. 

SO: How do you feel about the importance of sisterhood in Black Music? 

B: I think it’s very important. We only have each other in the industry and we could drop some serious records if we stick together. There is so much strength in collaboration and supporting each other. 

SO: Your track ‘Us’ featuring Tay Iwar has an experimental feel. Will you continue genre bending this year? Which genres would you like to explore?

B: Yes, I will continue genre bending this year because it makes me unique. I would like to explore the Latin sound and I definitely want to work with some Amapiano DJ’s. I think I’d sound really great on Amapiano and I’m a big fan of the movement.