Agnes Opoku Agyemang - Yi Madesoa - Highlifeng -

“Yi Madesoa” (sometimes spelled Yi M’adesoa or Yi M’adesoa) translates from Twi to “Take My Cross” or “Carry My Cross” — a clear Christian allegory about bearing life’s burdens and seeking divine help.

There is a reason younger Ghanaians and global Afrobeat fans are rediscovering this track. In an era of autotune and hyper-produced Afropop, the raw vulnerability of Agnes Opoku Agyemang is a palate cleanser.

"Yi Madesoa" has found a second life on social media, used as a soundtrack for videos depicting "quiet mornings" and "introspective drives." The mental health community within the diaspora has latched onto the song's title—"Remove My Burden"—as an anthem for therapy and release. Agnes Opoku Agyemang - Yi Madesoa - HighlifeNg

Furthermore, contemporary Highlife artists such as King Ayisoba and even the old-guard legends like Amakye Dede have cited Agnes’s rhythmic phrasing as a blueprint. You cannot understand the Osibisaba rhythm without acknowledging the groundwork laid by tracks like "Yi Madesoa."

The bass often plays a counter-melody to Agnes’s voice. When she holds a long note on “Yi…,” the bass walks upward. That tension-and-release is classic Highlife. “Yi Madesoa” (sometimes spelled Yi M’adesoa or Yi

For decades, tracks like "Yi Madesoa" by Agnes Opoku Agyemang were at risk of being lost forever. Original vinyl pressings, if they survived the heat and humidity of West Africa, were stored in attics or used as coasters in chop bars.

Enter HighlifeNg. While the name suggests a Nigerian focus ("Ng"), the platform has evolved into the premier digital museum for West African retro music, particularly the intersection of Ghanaian and Nigerian sounds. HighlifeNg has done the painstaking work of sourcing original 45-rpm singles, cleaning up the audio without destroying the vintage character, and contextualizing the artists. "Yi Madesoa" has found a second life on

For the uninitiated listener, typing "Agnes Opoku Agyemang - Yi Madesoa - HighlifeNg" into a search engine is like unlocking a secret door. The HighlifeNg upload provides: