Musicians | AfroFusion Artists | Dancers | Philanthropists | Advocates For Abused Children
I am Lali, one half of the Afropop/Afrobeat/Afrofusion music and dance duo, along with my identical twin sister, Lola. Our real names are Patricia Delali Dake and Trysha Wolali Dake, respectively. We were honored to be among the top 3 rising star artists at AfroChella 2022, competing against over 600 other talented musicians. As "Entertainment Scholars," we strive to excel academically while fully utilizing our God-given talents. Our father, whom we affectionately call "dadanger," is our manager, and our younger brother, "Rappidd," serves as our default producer. Our mother is our stylist, making our journey in the entertainment industry truly a family affair. We take pride in working together to bring our fans the best music and dance performances, with no worries or stress.
We were born in Cape Coast, Ghana to a mother of Ashanti royal heritage and an Ewe father from Ziavi in the Volta Region. We attended Junior High at Queensland International School, Senior High at Akosombo International School, and then pursued our university studies at Lancaster University Ghana. We both graduated top of our class with First Class Honors in Economics and International Relations. In fact, my sister Lola went on to earn a Master's degree in Economics from Lancaster Management School in the UK. Aside from our academic achievements, we also have a passion for sports. We played football and basketball throughout our school years, and in 2019, we co-managed the University of Lancaster basketball team. We also founded a social enterprise that supports The Osu Center for Abused Children and the Osu Correctional Facility, and we're proud to continue to provide assistance to these organizations.
We officially started our music career in September 2021, but we've been dancing since we were kids. Our first single, "Not The Same," was released in October 2021, and we followed it up with three more singles: "Ogini-Plenty Question" in November 2021, "Love's Complicated" and "Johnny" in the first half of 2022. In October 2022, we released our debut EP. For us, this six-track EP goes beyond just a feeling in our hearts; it transcends from feelings to words and then to magic, hence the name of the EP. This magic embodies the strength in being oneself and embracing love. The EP transforms culture and experiences into calm, happy, and energetic moods. It covers themes of romance, self-empowerment, overcoming obstacles, and having gratitude for life. The EP combines Afro-pop, Afro-soul, and Afro-R&B music. The tracks making the EP have lyrics, melodies, drum kicks, percussion, and wandering tempos deliberately pushing to give our twist to the lively vibe of Afro-beats. Our latest single, "Explora," released on April 5th, is a moderately-paced song with Caribbean-style percussion that adds a twist to the lively vibe of Afrosoul and Afrobeats. The song's lyrics, melodies, and percussions deliberately fuse different cultures and experiences into a song giving out a calm but exciting mood. The lyrics express feelings of anger and frustration towards a player caught in a corner with a girl in a red tight dress. We're excited to share this new single with our fans and can't wait for them to hear it!
Our Major Performances
· Afrochella Rising Star Artist 2022
· Stonebwoy BHIM Concert 2022
· 3 Music Women’s Brunch 2022
· 4syte/R2Bees and friends 2022
What were the biggest initial hurdles you faced and how did you overcome them?
As an Afrobeats/Afrofusion music duo, navigating the music industry can be challenging due to its informal nature and the lack of clear enforceable policies and structures. We have also noticed that there are too many award schemes that do not adequately define their award categories and require a token charge for voting.
In order for Ghanaian music to become a global sensation, deliberate action and strategic planning are necessary. While there is some support available, we have found that being plugged in or having some sort of leverage is often required. Our own journey has been a self-taught one. We had to rely on YouTube tutorials to learn how to sing and write songs. Despite these challenges, we remain committed to our craft and are determined to make an impact in the music industry.
What advice do you have for young people locally and internationally who are just starting out in their careers or pursuing their passions?
We believe that having our father as our manager has helped us overcome some of the challenges that other female artists may face in the industry. However, we understand that self-discipline, hard work, personal development, and finding our individual sound are crucial for success.
We also believe that as musicians, we must invest in our craft, create quality music, and package our brand and sound to appeal to the international market. It's important for stakeholders in the entertainment industry to focus more on developing and promoting Ghanaian creatives. By supporting, investing in, and creating training programs for Ghanaian creatives, we can help them turn their craft into a business and generate income, which can have a positive impact on the economy.
Ultimately, we're part of the industry and it's our responsibility to develop it to its full potential. We want to showcase Ghana's culture and sound to the world, and we're committed to doing our part to make that happen.
Social Media Handles:
Find us on all social media platforms - @lalixlolaofficial