MOLIY’s new mixtape is a soundtrack for ‘baddies’ this summer

For “Shake It To The Max (FLY)” singer MOLIY, being a “baddie” is not about an outfit or a carefully curated image.

“Being a baddie is a state of mind,” she told CNN. “It is a confidence thing. It is an aura thing. It’s not a body type. It’s not a piece of clothing.”

That mindset is at the heart of her forthcoming mixtape, “BADDIES <3 MOLIY.” The project, rooted in the empowering state of mind that defines being a “baddie,” is a global, dance-floor-ready collection set for release later this summer. It brings together artists and sounds from across Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America, while blending pop, Afrobeats, dancehall, amapiano, bouyon and R&B influences.

The mixtape features a diverse lineup including South Africa’s Tyla, Dominican artist Yailin la Más Viral, Jamaica’s Skillibeng and Shenseea, Nigeria’s Mavo, Ghanaian rap star Sarkodie, UK-Ghanaian rapper Br3nya, Jamaican producer-DJ Silent Addy, London and Berlin collective bees & honey and MOLIY’s sister Mellissa.

The lead single from the mixtape, “Jetski (FRIKI),” sees Ghanaian-American star MOLIY team up with Dominican hitmaker Yailin La Más Viral and French-Congolese singer Theodora, blending Afropop, dancehall and dembow drum styles from the Dominican Republic into a cross-continental anthem that highlights the growing connections between African, Caribbean and European music cultures.

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The project arrives as MOLIY is riding the momentum of “Shake It To The Max (FLY),” the TikTok-fueled breakout hit that turned into one of the biggest international dancehall moments of her career. The remix with Silent Addy, Shenseea and Skillibeng has surpassed 1 billion streams globally across all platforms, including over 405 million on Spotify.

For MOLIY, the success of “Shake It To The Max” felt like confirmation that her global breakthrough was not a one-time event.

“It was a moment of relief for me,” she said. “One time maybe a fluke, but two times baby, you’re onto something.”

MOLIY first reached international audiences in a 2020 collaboration on Amaarae’s hit “Sad Girlz Luv Money,” especially after the remix of the song with Kali Uchis went viral. But “Shake It To The Max” placed her name and voice front and center. The song gained traction on TikTok through dance challenges and remixes, helping introduce MOLIY to a wider global audience and leading to a publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music.

With the new mixtape, she said, “I feel like I’m creating a whole universe here of young, confident divas that are just bold and claiming their baddie energy.”

Moliy attends the Pamoja YouTube’s Celebration of African Music and Culture at The Preserve LA on January 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for YouTube Music

That confidence did not come overnight.

MOLIY, whose real name is Molly Ama Montgomery, grew up in Ghana, studied business and English in Orlando, Florida, for a semester before dropping out of college to pursue music. She loved storytelling, a foundation for her songwriting.

Music remained in the background until life brought it to the forefront.

“I’ve always been in love with music,” MOLIY said. “Until life actually kicked my ass to the point where I had nothing and then all I had was music, and then now I’m here.”

MOLIY developed her affirming energy during a challenging Covid-19 lockdown, navigating her future in music while experiencing a painful breakup.

“I was trying to figure out the music for real; it just felt like the hardest thing, but I knew I really wanted to do it,” she said. “I think I really grew spiritually at that point.”

That approach shapes how MOLIY connects online. Before creating the “baddie” sphere, she aimed for consistent TikTok posts by showcasing daily Ghanaian life, such as affordable street food, using the hashtag #baddieonabudget.

The phrase stuck. Then one lyric — “You dealin’ with a baddie, of course” — helped bring the concept into her music.

Her global approach is intentional. MOLIY said working with Tyla on the mixtape felt especially meaningful because of what it represents for young African women watching their rise.

“To me, two baddies from Africa working together, I just feel like it’s hugely dominating,” she said, adding that she hopes young girls see them “killing it” and understand that success in the creative industry is possible for them too.

The project also deepens MOLIY’s connection to dancehall music, the Jamaican-born genre known for its bass-heavy rhythms and DJ-style vocals. MOLIY said the sound has been part of her life since childhood.

Moliy performs during the 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture presented by Coca-Cola at Caesars Superdome on July 05, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images North America/Getty Images for ESSENCE

“Ghana loves dancehall. Ghana loves reggae music,” she said, describing a visit to Jamaica as a moment that felt like “cousins reconnecting” because of the similarities she saw in the people, food, culture and landscape.

Throughout the mixtape, MOLIY also leans into Afrobeats, the West African sound known for layered percussion and pop melodies, and amapiano — South Africa’s log-drum-heavy house sound that has become a global club force. Together, the styles reflect her aim to make music that moves across borders without losing its roots.

Now, with a billion-streaming global hit behind her, a new mixtape built for clubs and festivals, and an upcoming tour with Skillibeng, MOLIY says the goal is clear: to prove she is not limited to one song, one sound, or one lane.

The momentum is also taking MOLIY to new stages, including her first European tour this October.

“Baddies are going to be outside,” the musician said.

“I make music that makes you feel good,” she added. “You should be listening to me at parties. You should be listening to me at concerts, at festivals, at these huge, amazing places.”