Northern Irish-Ghanaian singer and songwriter Winnie Ama is revisiting her track “What Are We” with a new Jazzy Mix, introducing a more intimate interpretation shaped by classic jazz, soul and contemporary R&B.
Based in London, Winnie uses the alternative version to explore a different side of her sound. The original song is given a more understated treatment, with warm instrumentation and a live-musician feel replacing some of the contemporary pop energy. Her soulful vocals take centre stage, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a dimly lit jazz lounge.
The reimagining draws on Winnie’s admiration for influential jazz singers, including Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Nina Simone. Their musical legacy informs the arrangement’s relaxed sophistication, while Winnie’s own approach keeps the track connected to her modern pop and R&B sensibilities.
The song’s subject matter makes the new interpretation particularly fitting. “What Are We” examines the strain of having to maintain a relationship with someone whose beliefs and outlook on life are fundamentally different from your own. It is a situation that can arise within a family, workplace or shared home, where simply walking away is not always possible.
Winnie describes the song as being about conflict and the challenge of continuing to share an environment with someone despite deep disagreements. That tension eventually leads to a bigger question about the relationship itself: what does it mean when two people struggle to see things the same way but still have to find a way forward?
The Jazzy Mix gives that question a more reflective setting. Its stripped-back arrangement allows the emotional details to breathe, bringing a different sense of intimacy to the songwriting. It also highlights the flexibility of the composition, showing how its central message can hold its shape across different musical styles.
Winnie has built her catalogue around a blend of soulful pop, jazz, disco and R&B, drawing from classic vocal traditions while embracing contemporary production and songwriting. Her music has reached millions of streams and received international radio support, with releases appearing on various radio and music charts.
Her work has also found an unexpected connection with film audiences. For the 2026 movie Supergirl, Winnie contributed an alien translation of “What Are We”, alongside the jazz classics “The Girl from Ipanema” and “Cheek to Cheek”. The film sequence also incorporates a blend with Ella Fitzgerald’s version of “Cheek to Cheek”, which helps set the scene for a dynamic fight sequence.
The artist’s journey has recently been brought to a wider audience through coverage by BBC News, which highlighted her development as a musician and her broader involvement in music and culture.
Away from her own releases, Winnie is active as a radio presenter and DJ and uses her platform to advocate for improved representation and gender equality in music. She has performed internationally and appeared at major festivals and showcases, continuing to build a career that spans several areas of the industry.
“What Are We (Jazzy Mix)” adds to that progression, presenting a familiar song through a different musical lens. By leaning into the jazz influences that have long shaped her taste, Winnie Ama offers a version that feels warmer and more personal, while allowing the original song’s central emotions to remain firmly in focus.
