Ghanaian singer, songwriter, and producer Mellissa sets the tone for her 2025 by releasing her seductive new single “Tattoo” featuring Nigerian rap star Blaqbonez, out via rain.Labs and Virgin Music, Tattoo is the first single from her upcoming EP and a bold reintroduction that blends Afro-dancehall with R&B to create an irresistible low-light groove. Mellissa and Blaqbonez, two of West Africa’s most innovative voices, merge their distinct styles seamlessly on “Tattoo”. While Mellissa delivers velvety, R&B-infused vocals, Blaqbonez counters with his signature witty bars, creating a dynamic interplay of sensuality and swagger.
Produced by Mellissa & Black Culture, and mixed and mastered by Made In Parris, Tattoo is a slow-tempo, body-swaying track meant for intimate dancefloors and after-dark moments. The beat thumps with a hypnotic bounce reminiscent of island riddims while Mellissa delivers her vocals with a teasing, confident ease. The hook says it all:
“Don’t move, don’t move, don’t move. We can’t leave till the DJ play that tune, that tune, that tune. Say you wanna slow it down, I can do that too, that too, that too. And my body is stuck on you like a tattoo, tattoo, tattoo.” Blaqbonez brings a smooth, charismatic presence to his verse, offering just the right counterpoint with lines like: “I follow her lead. Body to body like sardines. This one no be Thotiana, this one is a high breed.”
As the lead single from her upcoming EP, Tattoo signals Mellissa’s growing confidence not just as a performer, but as a full creative force. It’s the next step in a journey that has seen her build quiet momentum with previous releases, key performances, and growing fan support both at home and abroad. With support from rain.Labs, Virgin Music, and management from Meister Music, Mellissa is carving out her space in the global conversation, and she’s doing it on her own terms.
Tattoo marks the beginning of a new chapter, daring, sexy, and impossible to ignore.
Listen here:
