Gyakie Pays Emotional Tribute to Highlife Legend Ebo Taylor on BBC

Ghanaian singer Gyakie has paid a heartfelt tribute to late highlife legend Ebo Taylor during an interview on Focus on Africa, describing his music as a defining part of her childhood and a lasting pillar of Ghana’s cultural identity.

Speaking to BBC presenter Mark Wilberforce, the “Forever” hitmaker reflected on the profound influence the celebrated musician had on her upbringing. According to Gyakie, Taylor’s music was a constant presence in her home, shaping some of her earliest memories.

“I really felt this one because he’s been part of my childhood memories. My dad used to play his music when we were young. His songs were inclusive,” she said during the interview.

The singer expressed deep sorrow upon learning of the highlife icon’s passing, noting that his absence is deeply felt not only by his family but by music lovers across generations.

“Hearing that he’s no more with us, I felt really emotional and sad that we can’t see him in person but his music will live with us forever,” she added.

Taylor, widely regarded as one of Ghana’s most influential highlife pioneers, built a career spanning several decades. His innovative fusion of traditional Ghanaian rhythms with jazz and Afrobeat elements earned him international acclaim and inspired countless musicians across Africa and beyond.

For Gyakie and many artists of her generation, Taylor’s contribution extends beyond melodies and rhythms. His work helped define Ghana’s musical landscape and positioned highlife on the global stage.

Music analysts say his enduring legacy lies in the timeless quality of his compositions, which continue to resonate with both older audiences and younger listeners discovering highlife for the first time.

As tributes continue to pour in from across the world, Gyakie’s emotional reflection underscores the profound impact of a man whose sound shaped a nation and whose music, as she affirmed, “will live with us forever.”