Amaarae walks for two hours every day. It’s a ritual she lives by, so naturally, that she answers my call during her daily stomp around her Los Angeles neighbourhood. It’s almost midday in California, but despite the blazing sun (and the fact that her phone has two per cent battery left), the Ghanaian-American artist remains cool, calm and collected.
We’re exactly two weeks out from the release of Amaarae’s third album, Black Star, which – if it follows the trajectory of her last project, 2023’s Fountain Baby – is destined for global success. The lead single from the upcoming release, ‘S.M.O.’ (an abbreviation of ‘Slut Me Out’), doesn’t disappoint. Like a scratch that can’t be itched, the song’s seductive lyrics (“I’m wavy, I wanna taste her”) and pulsing afrobeats baseline (inspired by 80s highlife trailblazer Ata Kak), are altogether infuriatingly addictive.
Today (July 25), she leads us on again with the release of her next single, “Girly-Pop”, which she describes as “a fun song about kissing and making out with your favourite person in the world”. But while Amaarae may be breezy on the outside, she’s very candid when I ask how she’s feeling about her upcoming album release. “I think album making is very stressful,” she says after a pause. “I found out two days ago that a producer didn’t disclose a sample that needed to be cleared and the album is due on Friday. So you can imagine how that feels… and it’s a really important song, too. I’m excited for people to hear it, it’s just that album-making is stressful…”
Despite this stress, Amaarae is keen to note that Black Star is her favourite album she’s ever made. “It feels good, people letting me do me and explore and experiment. With this one, I said I wanted to have as much fun as possible because I didn’t really have much fun with the last one,” she explains. Below, we keep the fun going as Amaarae answers the dA-Zed quiz, spanning everything from ancient Japanese history, to her crush on Tracee Ellis Ross.
A IS FOR… ADVICE. WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN?
My mom always told me to create a good environment for people to be around you and work with you. Boundaries are important of course, but so is being polite. If you lose your temper, say sorry. Be mindful and caring of those around you. I try to make sure that the people who work with me actually like coming to work.
B IS FOR… BLACK STAR. WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE EXPECT FROM THE NEW ALBUM?
To have fun and to hear a side of Amaarae that they’ve never heard before.
C IS FOR… CRUSH. WHO’S YOUR ULTIMATE CRUSH?
Tracee Ellis Ross. I hope she calls me one day.
D IS FOR… DREAM. WHAT WAS YOUR CHILDHOOD DREAM?
Honestly, to become an artist – so here I am! Either that or a neurosurgeon – never say never! I’m giving myself ten more years as a career artist and then I’m going to see if I can become a neurosurgeon. Let’s see.
E IS FOR… ENDGAME. WHAT’S YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL?
I want to take everything I’ve learnt in the industry and start an all-girls school for young girls in arts and STEM, and I want to be a professor at that school. That’s my ultimate goal.
F IS FOR… FOOD. WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO COMFORT FOOD?
Waakye.
G IS FOR… GOD. DO YOU HAVE FAITH OR SPIRITUAL PRACTICE?
Three times a week I spend time in deep meditation and stretch. That really helps me align with my body, my mind and my spirit.
H IS FOR… HIGH FASHION. WHO ARE YOUR FAVOURITE FASHION DESIGNERS RIGHT NOW?
I’ve always been a fan of The Row – I love Mary-Kate and Ashley. The new Phoebe Philo that just dropped is fire, too. Oh and I have to say Maxwell Bresler – he’s really fire as well.
I IS FOR… INTERNET. WHERE DO YOU SPEND THE MOST TIME ONLINE?
Twitter for sure, because it’s so hilarious.
J IS FOR… JOKES. WHO MAKES YOU LAUGH MOST IN THE WORLD?
I would have to say, the love of my life.
K IS FOR… KNOWLEDGE. WHAT’S SOMETHING NICHE THAT YOU KNOW A LOT ABOUT?
Ancient Japanese history, the Meiji era. And international affairs during World War II.
L IS FOR… LOVE. WHAT’S THE MOST ROMANTIC THING SOMEONE’S EVER DONE FOR YOU?
I think if you find the right person, you find that everything they do is romantic. But I think when someone pays attention to the ways they can help ease your day… I think the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me was probably something small, like cooking for me, or running an erand for me. Actually, I got a surprise aloe vera plant. That was very romantic because it gave me something to take care of and started my gardening journey.
M IS FOR… MEME. WHAT’S A MEME YOU REFERENCE OVER AND OVER AGAIN?
There are so many but the Pakistani man at the football game with his hands on his hips. That’s one definitely reference every single day.
N IS FOR… NATURE. WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE ANIMAL?
I love antelopes and puku deer because I think they’re really cute and the cleanest animals in the jungle.
O IS FOR… OPINION. WHAT’S YOUR HOT TAKE?
I think that artists and celebrities shouldn’t be on social media. Or they should have their social media managed by their teams. Anything and everything an artist does can and will be held against them. Like when Sabrina Carpenter dropped her album cover, everyone said it was misogynist – but I thought it was fire. I feel like we’re losing artists being able to be daring and forward-thinking because we’re so under the microscope with phones.
The other day Gaga fell at her concert and somebody got that on camera – if this was 2009 she would’ve just fell and we wouldn’t have known. But people having phones and having so much access is taking away from the characters that artists create. We’re losing a lot of magic. There needs to be better etiquette with cameras and how we use them out and about in society. Right now, too many people have opinions and platforms, so there isn’t really an opportunity for true curators to come to front and curate media. So we’ve also lost the art of curation.
P IS FOR… PARTY. WHERE IS YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO GO OUT?
It’s called Club Bed and it’s located in my room. I’m a homebody and I throw a lot of parties at home. I’m not an outside girl. But the New York party scene is lit – or Scorpios in Mykonos during the summer.
Q IS FOR… QUOTE. WHAT QUOTE DO YOU LIVE BY?
Yes. Toni Morrison said something like ‘Exist at what you believe is your centre, and eventually, the world will move towards you.’ I took it to mean stay original and the world will catch up eventually; don’t compromise who you are or what you believe in for anyone or anything.
R IS FOR… READING. WHAT’S A BOOK YOU COULD YOU READ AGAIN AND AGAIN?
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. I read it in high school and have read it almost every year since, because I haven’t really got to its core. It’s a tough book to read, you have to be dedicated.
S IS FOR… SUMMER. WHAT KIND OF SUMMER ARE YOU HAVING?
I’m having the best summer of my life, truly. Save for the month of July, which was a little hectic. But everything is on the up and up and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.
T IS FOR… TV. WHO WOULD PLAY YOU IN A TV SERIES ABOUT YOUR LIFE?
Imma have to say, and I hope she don’t get pissed, Ryan Destiny. She’s so beautiful, but fuck it.
U IS FOR… UNDERRATED. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS UNDERRATED?
Mangoes. They’re a great fruit.
V IS FOR… VIDEO. WHAT WAS THE LAST VIDEO YOU FILMED ON YOUR PHONE?
It was a TSA check, there was this dog going around sniffing this lady for cocaine. She was sweating. I was like, girl, I hope you don’t got no cocaine or ecstasy in that bag.
W IS FOR… WORLD. WHAT’S YOUR DREAM TRAVEL DESTINATION?
Japan. I haven’t been to Japan yet. Kyoto, not Tokyo.
X IS FOR… EX. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE TRYING TO GET OVER THEIR EX?
The only way to get over the pain is to go through it. Feel all the things you wanna feel, but just don’t let it ruin you.
Y IS FOR… YOUNGER SELF. WHAT’S ONE THING YOU’D SAY TO YOUR 13-YEAR-OLD SELF?
Congratulations bitch, we made it.
Z IS FOR… ZZZ. WHAT HELPS YOU SLEEP?
Breathing exercises and no phone time an hour before bed.
