Genesis Owusu^AU/GH

In just a few years, Genesis Owusu has carved out a space entirely of his own between rap, punk, soul, funk and experimental pop. Since breaking through with the award-winning album Smiling with No Teeth (2021), the Ghanaian-Australian artist has established himself as one of the most acclaimed live performers of his generation, with a rare ability to make even the most disparate musical ideas feel cohesive.

On his third and latest album, Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge, released in May, Genesis Owusu pushes both his sound and ambitions to new heights. The album turns its gaze towards a world shaped by political extremism, digital paranoia, tech billionaires, war, racism and apathy, yet the music never settles into pure seriousness. Instead, Owusu builds the record from sweaty funk, synth-punk, neo-soul, Brit-rock and irresistible hooks, giving weighty themes constant momentum, bite and drive.

The response has been a wave of enthusiastic acclaim. The Guardian awarded Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge five out of five stars, describing it as full of “political fury and propulsive fun”, while outlets such as Pitchfork and The Quietus, along with renowned music critic Anthony Fantano, have hailed it as his most ambitious work to date.

As if that were not enough, Genesis Owusu is a phenomenal live performer. When unveiling material from the new album at Sydney Opera House, he had audiences embracing entirely new songs with the same enthusiasm as his biggest favourites. It speaks to the impact he has built as both a songwriter and performer. Expect something truly special when one of the defining voices of the moment arrives at Roskilde Festival.