Tommy WÁ

Tommy WÁ

Tommy WÁ is a singer-songwriter, poet and visual storyteller based in Accra, Ghana. His music sits under Afro soundscapes and draws on contemporary folk, indie and retro-soul, combining those influences into a style shaped by his Nigerian roots and the Accra music scene. He has been active since 2016 and has built a growing audience through live performances and recorded work.

Career and releases

He first gains wider attention with records including Riverbank, the lead track from his debut EP Me in Me, and Come and Go, his first single after changing from the name Tommy Maverick. In 2021 he releases Gravity, a single featuring The Isomers, an indie rock group from Abuja. His music also receives multiple soundtrack placements.

Live work and touring

Tommy WÁ performs both solo and with his band, Tommy WÁ and his Familiar Spirits. He tours across African and European cities, and his 2020/2021 Living Room Tour uses intimate home-based shows designed to reduce stress during the COVID-19 period. He later follows that with boutique touring in Johannesburg, Berlin, London, Oxford, Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam.

Influences and artistic direction

His stated influences include Michael Kiwanuka, Brittany Howard, Aṣa, Benjamin Clementine and Bon Iver. He presents himself as an artist who works fluidly across styles and aims to use his recorded output to connect with his audience, whom he calls his Familiar Folks. At the time described, he is working on a new collection shaped by three years of wanderlust and life experiences.