Ghana’s new sensation, Sharleene has successfully rolled out her debut single “keep coming back” on all streaming platforms. The Afropop/Afro-dancehall song explores the elements of a broken relationship that never ends.

Spark in conversation with Sharleene, learn more about her new song, life and future plans as Ghana’s new artist on the block.

Read Interview below:

(Responses have been edited for length and clarity) – All images courtesy of Sharleene

Stream: Keep Coming Back
Spark: Tell us a bit about yourself?

Sharleene: My name is Sharon Darlene Tsra, a singer/songwriter who goes by the stage name Sharleene. Born in Koforidua, bred in Cape Coast. I would describe myself as a very curious person and I believe my creative nature has always served as a way of exploring my curiosity. From sketching, making artwork and writing stories in my childhood to picking up music and songwriting later in life, it’s always been me and my creative imaginations against the world.

Spark: When did you realize you wanted to pursue a career in music?

Sharleene: This was back in high school, during my first ever recording session at the school DJ’s studio. After recording we (myself, the DJ and a few friends who were around) listened to the outcome and I saw how much everyone loved it and thought to myself, ‘Damn, I’m so good at this.’ It was at that point I realized I could make a career out of music and this was at a time I wasn’t really sure what career path to take. But since this was something I’m naturally good at and genuinely enjoy why not make a career out of it.

Spark: Do you remember your very first performance as Sharleene? What was the experience like?

Sharleene: So my very first performance was not as Sharleene actually, I’m yet have that experience. I would however tell you about my very first performance generally. It was a faculty event in school and at the time, I went by my own name, Sharon. I was super nervous at the time because I had never performed in front of a crowd before. I kept rehearsing over and over again making sure everything was perfect before that day. On the day of the performance, I get to the venue still anxious because I really wanted it to go well. Now it’s time, I get on stage to perform and see my friends cheering for me in the crowd and suddenly the anxiety just vanishes. I just give it my all. It was an amazing experience.

Since starting out in high school, everything about my music has evolved. I have moved from being the shy artist who couldn’t record in crowded studios to a better performing Artist, Writer and Vocalist. I am very happy with my growth

Spark: What’s the story behind Keep Coming Back?

Sharleene: Basically, I wrote Keep Coming Back at a rough time in my life, about a very messy situation. It’s really not an experience I would wish for anyone. A situation where I could clearly see that this person wasn’t good for me and I deserved better but for some reason I just couldn’t pull away completely. Moral of the story: when you start to see the red flags, Run!

Spark: How do you want fans to connect with the song?

Sharleene: Well! I think this is a song that any and everybody can easily connect to and relate because I believe most people if not all have had to deal with a toxic situation. Situations where you know you have to let go and you just stay and hope that it gets better but it never does. And this is basically what I captured in the song in hopes that it serves as a source of comfort to me. So stream the song guys let it soak in, find pieces of yourselves in the lyrics and share it with a friend who may be going through a similar situation in their life. Hopefully the song would serve as a source of comfort to you as well.

Spark: Is Keep Coming Back any different from your previous work?

Sharleene: I would like to chip in the fact that Keep Coming Back is my first ever track as Sharleene. Previously I did some covers of other songs and an original song titled Show u Luv. And yeah, I would say Keep Coming Back is a lot different from these other works I’ve done because upon listening to these tracks anyone can tell how much I’ve grown and evolved in my craft as a singer/songwriter. The song has a more polished and sentimental feel coz this is literally me speaking directly from the heart and tapping into my emotions.

Spark: Awesome! Let’s get to know you better. Tell us, what’s an unusual hobby you indulge in?

Sharleene: That would be watching true crime and conspiracy theory content and podcasts on Tiktok and YouTube. I’m talking serial killer documentaries, secret society conspiracies, Area 51 and extraterrestrial conspiracies, basically anything that others may find creepy. I just find that stuff interesting and my friends probably think it’s weird but yeah I like what I like.

Spark: And how do you balance your personal life with your career?

Sharleene: I still do not completely have it figured out since I’m just starting out but what I’ve realized so far is that it’s all about priorities. I consider what I can and cannot do at the moment and make decisions as well as manage my time based on these analyses. So far this is what’s working for me.

Read: Ghana’s Entertainment Industry
In my opinion, the music industry in Ghana is doing fairly okay but still has room for improvement. Stakeholders in the industry can and should invest in emerging artists like myself, provide mentorship and grant them opportunities. Ghana has many talented artists waiting for such an opportunity to take their music to the next level. With a little push from seasoned professionals in the industry, I feel this would go a long way to benefit the industry as well.
Spark: If you could have dinner with any musician dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Sharleene: Bob Marley. I recently watched his biopic, Bob Marley: One Love and I just found the passion with which he used his music to preach messages like love, unity and social justice very intriguing. Would be great to have a one on one conversation with him about his life experiences, songwriting process and deeper meanings behind his iconic songs as well as gain insight into his views about this world in general.

Spark: What’s next for you?

Sharleene: What I’m looking at in the next phase of my music journey is working on more amazing songs, exploring new sounds as well as connecting more with my listeners through more songs and upcoming performances. Collaborations are on the horizon too, I’m looking to work with other amazing artists as well and continue to give my listeners the very best in terms of my music. There’s a lot I’m working on and I’m excited to see where this adventure takes me.

Spark: Thank you so much Sharlene for the time with Spark. We hope to see more of you in the coming year.

You can follow the Artist on all social media platforms