Amaarae – ‘Fountain Baby’ review: electric anthems from a fearless cultural disruptor

9 June, 2023

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When Ghanaian-American singer Amaarae dropped her 2020 debut album ‘The Angel You Don’t Know’, she was immediately dubbed an alté-pop pioneer. After featuring Kali Uchis on the ‘Sad Girlz Luv Money’ remix the following year, the track became an internet sensation; its vibrant fusion of Latin and Afropop music catapulted Amaarae into mainstream consciousness, clocking up over 350 million Spotify streams along the way.

READ MORE: Amaarae: pioneering alt-Afropop rebel winning fans on an international level

Using her expansive sonic approach as evidence, the 28-year-old has always been vocal about how genre categorisations for African artists are rigid and limiting, as she explained to The Guardian in 2021: “If it was left up to me, I wouldn’t even place a label on my music”. Returning with her second album ‘Fountain Baby’, her approach continues to be as fluid as the album’s title suggests. Rooted in a borderless sound that moves between orchestral strings on opener ‘All My Love’ to Senegalese rock rhythms throughout the hard-hitting ‘Counterfeit’, Amaarae highlights how diasporic living exposes one to a myriad of influences.

Since Amaarae released ‘The Angel You Don’t Know’, the popularity of African music has soared to new heights: Burna Boy became the first African artist to headline a UK stadium earlier this month; Wizkid sold out three consecutive O2 Arena shows in 2021. Looking to further establish her position in this constantly-evolving scene, Amaarae makes a significant shift as she progresses from a debut record that heavily relied on special guests, to a follow-up with no features.

The unbridled level of confidence required to take on such a feat is a testament to the singer trusting her unique approach to experimental pop. It’s a big risk – but one that instantly pays off. As the exhilarating ‘Angels In Tibet’ proves, Amaarae can carry an album independently, as her melodic rap style is underpinned by dynamic, percussion-heavy instrumentation.

On ‘Fountain Baby’, Amaarae pushes the boundaries of spirituality while exploring sexual desire. She’s developed a reputation for distinctive, sultry vocals that juxtapose her matter-of-fact lyricism, which she continues to lay down on ‘Sex, Violence, Suicide’, a thrashing punk-rock track. “Don’t care ‘bout what I’m asking you just fucking tell me yes,” she sings. “Tell me I’m the one, tell me I’m the best.”

Elsewhere, the astrology-themed anthem ‘Co-Star’ – an ode to the app used by much of Amaarae’s fanbase – details how spirituality in the diasporic community has moved away from its Abrahamic origins, which older generations were influenced by. “Me and her it felt like a threesome / Must be Gemini”,” she sings.

On ‘Fountain Baby’, Amaarae doubles down on her role as a cultural disruptor – she continues to project a striking level of self-obsession that never feels obnoxious. The boundaries for African music are constantly moving, and across this album, Amaarae pushes them even further.