“It was weird for me, and it was weird for the other people as well who just didn’t really interact with Black people either.”

The Australian artist has won multiple ARIAs, played on late-night talk shows in the US, released two highly acclaimed albums, and earned a spot on Barack Obama’s playlist. He’s now gearing up to release his third album, and it contains a strong message.

Shifting experience of racism

“It was such a blank canvas that I could just colour it in all the different colours that I wanted to colour. It wasn’t like Sydney or a Melbourne where all of these things were always happening and there was such an easy movement to follow,” he said.

“I was now Genesis Owusu. So it’s like even someone with racist attitudes because they’ve seen the way I post on Instagram and the way I speak on my music … it breaks the mould of what they think a Black person is.”

Genesis Owusu said his upcoming third album is a reflection of today’s tense political climate. Source: Facebook / bartcelestino / @charlie__foz

As his music gained traction, he noticed that his status shifted his experience of racism.

“I’ve seen a lot of people — especially celebrities, like: ‘Yeah, racism doesn’t exist anymore. I’ve never felt it. I don’t feel it’ … I’m very aware that it still definitely exists, but it’s really interesting going through this motion of seeing … the levels that a Black person or a person of colour might have to reach to start seeing the exit of something like that.”

Speaking out in an era of censorship

“There’s a lot happening in the world that is just being sugar-coated or being deflected … people just need to say things straight,” Owusu-Ansah said.

In Genesis Owusu’s new song, Pirate Radio, he takes on power imbalances head on: calling out the richest man in the world. Source: Facebook / bartcelestino / @charlie__foz

And in a world that feels increasingly divided, Owusu-Ansah said his role as a musician is to “reflect the times”, quoting the renowned US singer and civil rights activist Nina Simone.

“I just speak my truth. I feel like that’s the best that I can do … I need to say it unfiltered regardless of how other people might take it,” he said.

“The 99 per cent are not your enemy. Trans people and immigrants are not the reason your eggs are expensive … that just needs to be said outright.”

Ignoring the algorithm

“Many major labels and songwriters now are writing for that specific TikTok snippet because … they need to put bread on the table. Everyone’s just trying to adapt to an ever-moving situation.”

Kofi Ansah-Owusu — Genesis Owusu — has been meeting fans across Australia in recent months as he prepares for his new album. Source: Facebook / charlie__foz

Industry pressures, however, have been part of Owusu-Ansah’s journey.

While his message is direct and political, Owusu-Ansah’s music remains grounded in human connection.

Ultimately, Owusu-Ansah is determined to use his art to be authentic: to challenge the status quo and restore a sense of community, in a world where division and misinformation dominate our feeds.