Working with Peewezel Was a Privilege — Yady Maine

By Esther Korantemaa Offei

Ghanaian Afrobeats artiste Yady Maine has described his collaboration with award-winning sound engineer Peewezel, winner of Audio Engineer of the Year at the 26th Telecel Ghana Music Awards, as a defining moment in his young career.

Speaking in an exclusive interview on Highway 1019 on ZED FM, the artiste expressed deep gratitude for the guidance and patience shown by the celebrated producer, describing the experience as both humbling and transformative.

 “First of all, I want to say thank you to Peewezel for his patience and everything he has done for me and for everyone around me. As an upcoming artist who had never been in a recording studio before, meeting a legend like him from nowhere was a privilege,” Yady Maine said.

According to the Afrobeats singer, the collaboration taught him valuable lessons, particularly the importance of patience and continuous self-improvement. “The biggest lesson I’ve learned is patience. There is always room for improvement,” he noted.

Yady Maine, who describes his sound as versatile, says his music reflects a wide range of emotions including love, heartbreak, sadness and happiness.

“I’m just the mood. My music communicates how I feel at different moments,” he said.

The artiste also shared the story behind his stage name, revealing that he was formerly known as Breeze Lil. He explained that Peewezel advised him to rebrand, encouraging a name that would be more memorable and distinctive.

“My producer felt the name didn’t stick. So I thought about it and decided to be creative,” he revealed.

Born on a Thursday, Yady Maine said he drew inspiration from Akan naming traditions, eventually crafting a unique spelling after checking social media to ensure originality. “I wanted something simple, original and meaningful. That’s how Yady Maine was born,” he explained.

Reflecting on his musical journey, the singer revealed that music was not his original career plan. Naturally gifted in drawing and painting, he initially envisioned a future in visual arts, boxing or even aviation.

He explained that his passion for music developed through freestyling with friends and gradually evolved into a deep emotional connection. “I realized I could communicate my emotions better through music,” he said.

Yady Maine also disclosed that he writes all his songs himself, drawing inspiration either from beats or spontaneous ideas.

 “Sometimes the beat pulls you into a mood. Other times, the concept is already in my head with the sound,” he said.

While he is not yet a full producer, the artiste says he has a clear vision of how he wants his music to sound and is currently learning the technical aspects of production. “If you know what you want to hear, you can explain it to the producer. That makes the process easier,” he noted.

With his growing confidence and industry mentorship, Yady Maine believes his journey is only beginning.