Biography
Who is Wiyaala?
Early life and education
Noella Wiyaala Nwadei was born in Wa, located in the Upper West region of Ghana. She grew up in the towns of Funsi and Tumu. Her mother was a choir singer at their local church, providing the artist with her initial singing lessons. Wiyaala began performing at the age of 5. During her teenage years, she was an active football player and served as a midfielder.
She completed her secondary education at Kanton Senior High School in Tumu. While there, she was known for her tom-boy image and was a frequent performer in school productions. She later attended Takoradi Technical University, where she focused on the study of art and design.
Musical beginnings and reality shows
Her professional entertainment path started early, as she earned income performing at a bar in Tamale. After finishing school, she became involved in the local music scene in Wa, centering her work at Echo Soundz Recording Studios. She recorded her first album, Tuma, in the Sissala language in 2009. This project included local hits like Dannu and Dirik.
Seeking a wider audience, she relocated to Accra to audition for the reality show Starz of the Future. She reached the finals during her third attempt in 2011. In 2012, she joined the band Black N Peach and won the Vodafone ICONS Mixed Edition competition.
Rise to fame and career highlights
In April 2013, she left her band to launch a solo career with Djimba World Records. She released the single Make Me Dance, which featured underwater filming. Her next major release, Rock My Body, became a widespread hit. This song earned her two awards at the 2014 All Africa Music Awards, specifically for Most Promising Artiste in Africa and Revelation of the African Continent.
She released her debut album, titled Wiyaala, in November 2014. This album received nominations for album of the year at the 2015 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards. Her music video for the song Africa won at the 2015 All Africa Music Awards. Starting in 2015, the artist began performing internationally. She appeared at the Hague African Festival in the Netherlands and the Afrikadey Festival in Canada. She performed at the 2016 WOMAD UK festival. She also participated in the Voices of The Revolution project, performing at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London. In 2018, the BBC recognized her as one of the African Women We Celebrated. She has also collaborated with Swiss musician Dodo and was featured on the 2026 album Musick by the Slovenian band Laibach.
Activism and advocacy
She uses her platform to address social issues in Ghana, particularly concerning gender roles and child welfare. She speaks out against polygyny and male-dominated cultural practices. Her song Tinambayai functions as a protest against the exploitation of women.
She works with UNICEF Ghana and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection on campaigns regarding child poverty, health, and sanitation. She has spoken on the BBC about the importance of education for young girls as an alternative to early marriage.
Birthday and age
Wiyaala was born on December 22, 1986, which makes Wiyaala 39 years old today. That birthday falls under the Capricorn sign. Wiyaala shares the date with 26 other famous people.
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