Puerto Rican musician H Merced has called on Ghanaian artists to look beyond Africa and work more with Latin acts, arguing that such collaborations could broaden their international reach.
Speaking to Graphic Showbiz on Monday, October 5, the artist said Ghanaian music already has what it takes to go global and that partnerships with Latin musicians would bring fresh audiences and cultural links.
He singled out Amaarae, KiDi and Shatta Wale as performers he would like to see collaborate with Latin stars. “Latin music today leads the industry and I have no doubt about it. It would be good to see artistes such as Amaarae, KiDi and Shatta Wale collaborating with Latin artistes,” he said.
H Merced cited the recent Shakira‑Burna Boy collaboration as an example of the cross‑cultural link he hopes to see more of, noting that such partnerships allow artists from different backgrounds to exchange influences and create music that travels beyond borders.
The call comes as the Puerto Rican singer’s own ties to Ghana grow. His latest single, “Siga,” features Ghanaian artist Masaany, marking his second collaboration with a Ghanaian musician. In 2021 he teamed up with former Buk Bak member Prince Bright on “Kumbaya.”
“The feature with Masaany came from the respect and admiration I developed for Bright, which made me want to discover more of music from Ghana,” H Merced explained.
Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the artist said his African heritage and family ties to Ghana give him a sense of closeness to the country. He added that Ghana and Puerto Rico share similarities in how they express urban music, making collaborations between the two cultures particularly exciting.
H Merced’s own music blends reggaeton, Latin urban, hip‑hop, dancehall, reggae and traditional Caribbean sounds, and he said he could record an Afrobeats track one month, a salsa the next, and an R&B‑bachata fusion later. He expressed a keen interest in continuing to work with Ghanaian artists, hoping to create genuine cross‑continental music that showcases the power of artistic collaboration.
