By Ibrahim S. Bangura
Freetown/Tamale, June 2026 – The Ballanta Academy of Music and Performing Arts (BAMPA) has brought Sierra Leonean music to Ghana through a 10‑day residency designed to strengthen artistic development, cultural exchange, and professional growth among musicians from both countries.
Held in Tamale from 11 to 21 June under the Playing for Change Foundation’s Exchange and Training Programme, the residency brought together three Sierra Leonean musicians from BAMPA and eight Ghanaian artists from the Bizung School of Music & Dance for collaboration, learning, and performance.
Representing BAMPA were singer, songwriter, and keyboardist David Solomon Koroma (popularly known as Double King), who served as team leader; sound engineer, percussionist, and trombonist Musa Ganda; and singer‑songwriter Rosaline Iyabode Johnson, professionally known as Iyabode.
For the Sierra Leonean delegation, the residency provided an opportunity to sharpen technical and creative skills while introducing elements of Sierra Leone’s musical heritage to Ghanaian audiences.
The programme featured intensive rehearsals, collaborative composition, studio recording, cultural exchange, and live performance. Musicians from both countries shared experiences, traditional instruments, and storytelling practices while experimenting with rhythm, melody, harmony, and instrumentation.
A major focus was the fusion of Sierra Leonean Bubu Fusion and Gumbe Fusion with the musical traditions of the Dagomba people of Northern Ghana. This creative process produced two original songs – Badat Padi and Waa (Dance) – blending Sierra Leonean rhythms with Dagbani‑influenced Afro‑pop.
Koroma explained that the compositions reflected the spirit of exchange: “Badat Padi combines Gumbe Fusion with Dagbani Afro‑pop rhythms, while Waa (Dance) blends Bubu Fusion with Afro‑pop rooted in Dagbani traditions. These works show how Sierra Leonean traditions can adapt to new creative environments while maintaining cultural identity.”
The studio sessions strengthened the professional development of the BAMPA delegation, offering hands‑on experience in arrangement, vocal recording, and collaborative production. Audio and video recordings of the new compositions were produced as a lasting record of the exchange.
The residency concluded with a public performance at King David’s Entertainment Complex in Tamale, where the musicians presented their creations to an enthusiastic audience.
The initiative deepened ties between BAMPA and the Bizung School of Music & Dance, laying a foundation for continued artistic and cultural cooperation.
Funded by the European Union Delegation in Freetown through the Culture Moves Salone Programme and supported by the Playing for Change Foundation, the project also commits to sharing knowledge and skills gained in Ghana with fellow musicians and young artists in Sierra Leone through mentorship, training, collaborative performances, and educational activities.
For BAMPA, the exchange forms part of its broader mission to develop musicians, preserve Sierra Leonean musical heritage, and expand opportunities for artists to engage with wider African creative networks.
As Badat Padi and Waa (Dance) illustrate, cultural exchange not only preserves traditions but also creates new artistic possibilities, reinforcing the identity and vibrancy of African music.