"Night is when I shine best" - Mellissa

Ghanaian singer Mellissa the rising voice behind the growing “Afro Sexy” sound joined Culture Daily for an energetic conversation about her creative process, her bond with Moliy, her debut EP and the story behind her new single GOOD BOY KWEKU featuring Joey B.

Though she arrived straight from an all-night studio session, Mellissa was lively, open and effortlessly charismatic, giving fans rare insight into the world behind her music.

Melissa revealed that she thrives creatively at night, often recording until dawn. “When everything else is closed down, I have more peace of mind to concentrate. When everyone is asleep, Lisa is awake,” she laughed. 

She explained that nighttime brings a different energy, less overthinking, more instinct. Her best studio sessions start around 7p.m. and sometimes stretch into the early morning.

Discussing her new single featuring Joey B, Mellissa shared that GOOD BOY KWEKU wasn’t the first track recorded that day. “It was the fourth song. Sometimes tiredness helps because your brain thinks less. You’re not overthinking.” 

She crafted the song with her close collaborator Moliy, with Chopsticks refining the production until it “hit perfection.” Melissa described the studio that day as electric: “We were jumping around like kids. That’s the feeling I love when the music makes you feel free.”

Melissa said the studio gives her room to express sides of herself that hide behind expected roles: “Everyone has some level of composure. As a lady, you have to be a lady, as a sister, you have to be a sister. But in the studio, another layer comes out, one that doesn’t fit any of those.” She calls this version of herself the “raw, unfiltered” version and she believes fans hear that in her sound.

Melissa attended Soul Clinic, where she entered talent shows, harmonised with friends in stairwells and refined her natural performance instinct.

She described her upbringing as a “musical household,” especially with Moliy: “We have a shared joy in music. It’s seamless and effortless when we create together.”

Contrary to the common assumption that siblings clash creatively, Melissa insists their dynamic is smooth. Despite calls for them to form a girl group, the sisters prefer to collaborate on projects while maintaining separate identities as artistes.

When asked about personality differences, Melissa didn’t hesitate: “Moliy is hardcore. I’m a little bit of a softie.” But together, she says they share a vibrant, bubbly energy that anyone can feel in their presence or on their records.

Melissa identifies her sound as Afro Sexy, a blend of genres she considers sensual and expressive: “Caribbean sounds, R&B, jazz, dancehall… the ones that make you want to move.” She adds that this is her current evolution and may shift as she grows.

After fans doubted she could ride the bike she sat on in CATCH ME IF YOU CAN visuals, Melissa decided to prove them wrong. “They were coming for me in the comments. I learned it!”

Melissa’s debut EP is set to drop next year.It will feature seven tracks and expand on her Afro Sexy direction.