We Speak Music
AratheJay Joins Apple Music’s Africa Rising Class of 2025
Ghanaian artist AratheJay is the latest talent to join Apple Music’s Africa Rising Class of 2025. An artist development program that has helped shape the careers of African stars like Tems, Amaarae, and Rema. The program celebrates the continent’s rising stars, and AratheJay’s inclusion is a testament to his growing influence in the global music scene.
Since his breakout, AratheJay has been making waves with a distinctive sound that blends African storytelling with contemporary influences. His debut project, “Finding Nimo Series: The Capsule” introduced listeners to his emotive songwriting and captivating melodies. Tracks like “Jesus Christ II” with Black Sherif, “C’est La Vie”, “Sankofa”, and “Grenade” have already established him as one of Ghana’s most exciting new voices.
Alongside fellow rising artists like KAESTYLE, FOLA, Njerae, and Lusanda, AratheJay is ready to push boundaries and share his music with the world. Discover the Africa Rising Playlist here.
Reacting to the honour, AratheJay shared his excitement: “I’m truly honoured to be a part of Apple Music’s Africa Rising Class of ’25, and being chosen as one of the cover stars is the icing on the cake! 2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year, and I can’t wait to share the journey ahead. The best is yet to come! Stay tuned for some surprises from Ghana, Africa and beyond, because this year is going be my year of global domination, all by the grace of God.”
As part of this recognition, AratheJay is featured in an exclusive “Africa Now Radio” episode with Nandi Madida which aired on January 17th. His inclusion in the Africa Rising Class is a clear signal that Ghanaian music is being heard globally and fans can expect even more from him this year.
Concrete Club have always had that thing going on where they’re pulling from post-punk and indie rock without sounding like they’re trying to prove anything. This track takes that further. The synths sit in a way that makes you listen, and there’s this rhythm that just locks in and makes you want to move without thinking about it. It’s the kind of song structure that works on you after a few listens, not just the first time through.
What I’ve noticed about Concrete Club is that they’re not interested in smoothing out the rough parts. They’ve been grinding the Manchester circuit, building an actual following, and their songs aren’t about sounding polished. They’re about real things: what it’s like living in a city, losing track of time on nights out, trying to find something that makes sense when nothing does. “People Like Us” fits right into that.
Rowetta’s featured spot here is the thing that makes it work. Her voice against Jonny Brewster’s, with Kallum Delf on guitar, Mark Demuth holding down the bass, and Jamie Butterworth on drums, it all just clicks. They brought in Jonny McGill to handle the drums on this one, and you can feel the fresh energy that brought, but it still sounds unmistakably like them.
This is a song that gets better the more you sit with it. If you’ve been sleeping on Concrete Club, this is the one to start with. Listen here.
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