Noella Wiyaala Nwadei is a Ghanaian Afro-pop singer-songwriter who sings in her native language Sissala and Waala dialects and English, often combining all three languages within her songs.
43 Facts About Wiyaala
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Wiyaala achieved fame with her single "Make Me Dance" and her androgynous image.
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Wiyaala is associated with UNICEF Ghana and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection's campaigns against child marriage, child poverty, health and sanitation.
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Wiyaala headlined the 15th London African Music Festival in London.
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Noella Wiyaala was born in Wa, Upper West Ghana as one of four sisters and grew up in Funsi and Tumu.
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Wiyaala got first singing lessons from her mother, a choir singer in the local church, and she has performed ever since she was 5 years old.
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Wiyaala attended Kanton Secondary School in Tumu, where she acquired a reputation for being a tom-boy, playing football and was in demand as a dancer and entertainer in school productions.
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In 2018, Wiyaala disclosed in an interview with Becky on the E with Becks show on Joy Prime that she has been married for four years but would not disclose the name of her husband.
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From early childhood in the Upper West Region of Ghana, Wiyaala was active as an entertainer, earning her first income as a performer in a local bar in Tamale.
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Wiyaala performed at local events and recorded as a usually unpaid session singer for artists in the Upper West Region.
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Wiyaala did not impress her first two attempt, but at her third try in 2011, she went all the way to the finals, winning two Golden Moments awards.
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Wiyaala won the 2012 Vodafone ICONS Mixed Edition hosted by fellow Ghanaian DJ "Benny Blanco", as part of the Ghanaian band Black N Peach, while singing Tina Turner's "Simply The Best".
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Wiyaala left the Black N Peach band during April 2013, after having released one single, to pursue a solo career with Djimba World Records.
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Wiyaala won two of the coveted 23.9-carat gold-plated trophies for The Most Promising Artist in Africa and The Revelation of the African Continent.
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In November 2014, Wiyaala released her "official" debut album, the eponymously titled Wiyaala which was nominated for album of the year at the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards 2015 and at the All Africa Music Awards 2015.
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Wiyaala won Music Video of the Year with the song "Africa" at the 2015 All Africa Music Awards.
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In October 2024, Wiyaala partnered with Dominik Jud, a Swiss musician.
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Wiyaala is outspoken on the male-dominated culture and polygyny of some African countries and to stand up for women's rights and against family violence in her native Ghana.
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Wiyaala was featured on the BBC, talking about early child marriage and declaring her support for feminism as a means to encourage young girls into completing their education so that they can be the ones that make the choices in their lives.
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Wiyaala said her success will serve as an example to her community that there was a future for young women beyond early or forced marriage.
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Wiyaala has partnered with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection of Ghana's government and UNICEF on several projects to help protect the rights of children and public health issues.
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Wiyaala has earned praises for her bold and powerful voice and distinguished timbre.
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Wiyaala expressed admiration for African artists like Angelique Kidjo, Miriam Makeba and Brenda Fassie.
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Wiyaala has often been called "man-woman" and she has built her brand around the androgynous image of herself and for that she has been compared to Jamaican singer, Grace Jones.
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Wiyaala cited as inspiration the 1969 song "Wreck A Buddy" by Nora Dean and The Soul Sisters.
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Wiyaala did perform in the opening of the 2014 Stanbic Ghana jazz festival.
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Wiyaala got nominated as Best Sporting Artist in Ghana Sports Excellence Awards 2014.
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Wiyaala had to take swimming lessons for the best performance while on camera.
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On 28 February 2014, Wiyaala released a new single, "You Got The Power", again distributed on the "Djimba World Records" label.
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Wiyaala's self-titled album was launched in November 2014 at the Alliance Francaise in Accra.
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Wiyaala performed songs from her album and other local and international superstars.
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Wiyaala released her song "Angel" in early December 2014 during Viasat 1's The One Show.
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Wiyaala has been commended by Vodafone for her achievements and hailed as a youth icon and an inspiration for young Ghanaians to strive for success.
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In 2015, Wiyaala received six nominations for the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards winning Best Songwriter and Best Female Vocal.
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At the second edition of the All African Music Awards 2015, Wiyaala won the best Video for "Africa" directed by Stanley Ajjetey.
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Wiyaala released music videos for both, as well as one for the fourteenth track on the album Feeling Free.
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Wiyaala made her TV acting debut in late 2013 in the Viasat 1 hit comedy series MultiKoloured.
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In February 2016 Wiyaala made her movie debut in the Ghanaian feature film No Man's Land.
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Wiyaala got nominated "Female Personality of the Year" at the 2014 Ghana's Fashion Icon Awards, with a dress sketched and designed by herself.
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Wiyaala has been recognised for her style by winning the Best Individual Style Award at the Glitz 2015 Style Awards.
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Wiyaala has made her intentions clear to recruit, groom, and sponsor young talents from Funsi and its surroundings as her way of giving back to society.
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Wiyaala built an Arts and Culture Center in her community.
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In December 2024, Noella Wiyaala Nwadei was included on the BBC's 100 Women list.