Zoe Ackah, a dynamic presence on the Toronto music scene, is renowned as a versatile singing drummer and studio backup vocalist. Now carving her solo path, Zoe brings fierce determination and a trunk full of creative ideas. Her debut album, The World Inside (2020), and her follow-up, This Hen (2023), showcase her broad musical talents and unique voice.
Zoe’s music defies easy categorization. “I’ve been in every type of singing situation you can imagine, and that has given me the flexibility to follow my imagination,” she says. Her unique, agile voice and stylistic versatility shine in every project.
While earning her Master’s Degree at York University, Zoe immersed herself in Jazz and Classical music, singing in every choir available. “Music was my solace during one of the most intense times of my life,” she recalls.
As a budding producer, Zoe's technical skills are evident, moving from evocative sound design—blending sampled sounds, synthesizers, nature sounds, and orchestral samples—to live instruments. She played piano and guitar on both The World Inside and Love's Imaginarium. On This Hen, Zoe collaborated with stellar arranger and guitarist Kevin Breit, producing an album of Roots music where she wrote and sang.
Before her academic pursuits, Zoe was a fixture on the Toronto music scene. She co-founded the all-female reggae combo Women Ah Run Tings and performed with The Sweet Sensation Band, Pan-African artists like Aron Nitunga and Lizzie Mahashe, and groups such as Osabirima and Shaza. Her recent collaboration with reggae great Carl Harvey (Toots and The Maytals) further showcases her musical breadth.
Zoe’s latest project, Love’s Imaginarium, is a New Age album mixed in Dolby Atmos at Desert Fish Studios. Featuring ten songs designed for healing, relaxation, and meditation, the album utilizes Solfeggio frequencies, EMDR-friendly bilateral stimulation, and isochronic pulses to entrain and relax the brain. Zoe’s production skills shine through in the lush, immersive soundscapes she creates. Expect it on all streaming platforms in September 2024.
“My goal is to record 50 songs and release three more records in the next five.. My real joy in life is creating music and recording it. I love both the creative and the technical side of the work,” Zoe says, reflecting her passion for both the artistic and technical aspects of music production.