After two Afrobeat releases, the dancehall singer swings back to the reggae sound that started her career, with a new track out on Monday.
Ghanaian dancehall singer Aklerh is going back to her roots. Her new single, "Wo Dor", is scheduled for release on Monday, October 19, under the Revolution Records label.
The title translates as "My Love", and the song is built in the lovers rock style — a slower, romantic branch of reggae that leans on soft rhythms, mellow bass lines and layered harmonies rather than heavy drops. Daily Guide Network reports that the record was handled by Tubhani Music.
A deliberate change of pace
The release follows two Afrobeat singles, "Amele" and "Good Vibes", which pushed Aklerh towards contemporary club rhythms and catchy hooks. With "Wo Dor" she slows the tempo down considerably.
Aklerh frames the move as a homecoming rather than a departure.
"After exploring Afrobeat in my last two singles, 'Wo Dor' is a return to what first inspired me," she said.
She also described the song as proof that she is not locked into one lane. In her words, it is "a demonstration of my versatility" and her ability to move between genres. She credited Tubhani Music with the production work on the track, which she says marks her return to reggae.
The singer added that the song "captures the authenticity of lovers rock" while reflecting her own path as an artiste, and expressed confidence that it will connect with listeners across different age groups.
Why the genre shift matters
For artistes working in Ghana's crowded music market, Afrobeat has been the commercial safe bet for several years. It travels well, it dominates playlists, and it gets bookings. Reggae and lovers rock move more slowly but tend to build longer-lasting audiences.
Aklerh, who has been billed as a dancehall queen and is known for energetic live shows, appears to be trying to hold both audiences at once — the crowd that came for the Afrobeat singles and the listeners who first followed her through dancehall.
Something for the diaspora
Lovers rock has a long history with West African and Caribbean communities abroad, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States, where the style has been a staple of house parties and community radio for decades. A Ghanaian artiste releasing in that sound has a natural route into those listening spaces.
For Ghanaians in the United States following the music scene from a distance, the release also lands on streaming platforms at the same time as it does at home, which removes the delay that used to separate local releases from diaspora audiences.
"Wo Dor" is out on Monday.
