Ghanaian trailblazer Amaarae is back, and she’s making waves. The genre-defying singer-songwriter is officially launching the next chapter of her sonic journey with a brand-new single titled ‘S.M.O’, out this Friday. The track leads the charge for her highly anticipated third studio album “Black Star”, which is expected to drop before the end of summer.

Earlier this year, Amaarae began teasing her “Black Star” era a bold, experimental leap even by her boundary-breaking standards. She kicked things off with a powerful debut at Coachella 2025, where she made history as the first Ghanaian artist to perform at the festival. Her set was not just a personal milestone, it was a national moment, and a cultural statement. At Coachella, fans got their first taste of what’s to come from “Black Star.” Amaarae teased unreleased tracks, revealing a musical direction that leans deeply into electronic, techno, R&B, and hip-hop influences, with subtle nods to her Ghanaian roots.

She followed the iconic performance with a series of Black Star-themed livestream parties that spanned continents from L.A. to New York, and back to Accra. In Accra, she turned the party into a full-blown music video shoot for her upcoming track “B2B.” These events not only gave fans an exclusive preview into the new album’s aesthetic and sonic palette but also reinforced Amaarae’s position as a global tastemaker.

While details of the full tracklist remain under wraps, Amaarae shared an exciting exclusive with BlacVolta: a Ghanaian-UK crossover artist Bree Runway will be featured on the album hinting at yet another layer of cultural synergy and creative brilliance.

From what we’ve seen and heard so far, “Black Star” promises to be bold, immersive, and genre-bending, aligning with Amaarae’s unique artistry while taking her sound to even more experimental heights. As the countdown to the full album begins, all eyes are on ‘S.M.O’, the first official release from this new era. If the rollout so far is anything to go by, Amaarae is about to deliver her most ambitious and era-defining project yet. Stream ‘S.M.O’ when it drops this Friday and brace yourself for the Black Star takeover.