Ghanaian singer-songwriter Gyakie has expressed sorrow over the passing of Highlife icon Ebo Taylor, describing the news as a personal loss and honouring the enormous influence he had on her life and music.

Speaking in an interview with Mark Wilberforce on Focus on Africa on BBC, the Forever hitmaker said she was overcome with emotion when she learned of the icon’s death on February 7, 2026, at age 90.

According to Gyakie, Taylor’s music formed part of the soundtrack of her childhood, often playing at home through her father’s speakers and quietly shaping her musical taste from an early age.

“I really felt this one because he’s been part of my childhood memories. My dad used to play his music when we were young,” she said, adding: “His songs were inclusive.”

Gyakie's father is Highlife star Nana Acheampong.

She added that while Taylor's physical absence is painful, his artistry ensures he will never truly be gone.

“Hearing that he’s no more with us, I felt really emotional and sad that we can’t see him in person but his music will live with us forever,” she noted.

Widely regarded as one of Ghana’s most important Highlife pioneers, Ebo Taylor’s career spanned decades and continents. From the 1960s onward, he crafted a distinctive sound that blended traditional Ghanaian rhythms with Jazz, Funk and Afrobeat influences, creating compositions that were both deeply rooted and globally resonant. His intricate guitar work, rich horn arrangements and socially conscious songwriting helped define modern Highlife and influenced countless musicians across Africa and beyond.

Through timeless records and collaborations, Taylor not only shaped a genre but also mentored generations of artists, leaving behind a catalogue that continues to educate, inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

For Gyakie and many others, his legacy is more than historical — it is personal, enduring and woven into the very fabric of Ghanaian music.