Akuvi, the Ghanaian-Norwegian afro-fusion artiste born Beatrice Akuvi Hosen Kumordzie, has shared the remarkable story behind her collaboration with award-winning Afro-dancehall star Stonebwoy, describing it as a moment where “the stars aligned.”
In an exclusive interview on Hitz FM’s Daybreak Hitz, Akuvi reflected on how a chance encounter at Kotoka International Airport led to the creation of their hit single, Dream Big, released on January 16, 2026. The uplifting afro-fusion and afro-dancehall anthem, produced by Peewezel, centres on ambition, resilience and self-belief.
Akuvi, who draws inspiration from both the Volta Region of Ghana and northern Norway, explained that the collaboration began unexpectedly when her brother, Mashano, spotted Stonebwoy at the airport. He immediately approached the artiste and mentioned Akuvi’s music, telling him they had been trying to reach him.
“He told me to check my phone and sent a video of himself with Stonebwoy at Kotoka Airport,” Akuvi recounted. Stonebwoy, she added, revealed he was travelling to Norway, a coincidence that surprised them both.
Contacts were exchanged, and the two later met in Norway, where conversations about life, artistry and music flowed naturally. Akuvi played Stonebwoy some of her work, as well as songs by her late father, Kofi Kumordzie, a renowned highlife musician in the 1970s and a member of the band The Barbecues.
Stonebwoy recognised the music immediately and expressed interest in hearing Akuvi’s unreleased song. “As soon as I played it, he said, ‘This is it. I want to be on it,’” she said.
The collaboration quickly took shape during a boat trip in Norway, where Stonebwoy began writing his verse. The pair later went straight into the studio to record the track, sealing what would become Dream Big.
Akuvi described the experience as both surreal and grounding, noting that it reinforced the importance of human connection in the music industry. Despite Stonebwoy’s global stature, she said he was approachable, thoughtful and deeply engaged.
“We bonded as people first,” Akuvi said, adding that their shared academic backgrounds—both hold master’s degrees, also deepened their connection.
According to Akuvi, the collaboration was never about strategy or business calculations. “It just felt aligned,” she said. “If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”
Dream Big has since been praised as a feel-good anthem that reflects both artistes’ journeys and creative synergy.