Exactly one year ago, Ghanaian‐American singer Moliy released her hit single “Shake It to the Max (Fly)” with Jamaican producer Silent Addy, featuring dancehall heavyweights Shenseea and Skillibeng on the remix. What followed has been transformative, not only for the track itself, but for Moliy’s trajectory as an artist.
Moliy recently reflected on the journey in a video shared on her YouTube channel. She spoke candidly about her decision to leave the United States, return to Ghana, and place faith in herself. “I went from an underground artist to a worldwide sensation in one year. This time last year, I had zero motion, averaging 300 views on my TikToks. I didn’t have any bookings, and no distros [distributors] were really willing to invest in my releases. That all changed when I decided to move back to Ghana from the USA and bet on myself.”
She described her mindset: ignore the outside noise, focus on authenticity. It was during this period that she recorded the original version of “Shake It To The Max” with Silent Addy, leaning into a “baddie” energy. She tested the waters with teasers on TikTok. The song was gaining traction, but everything changed in February, when the remix dropped with Skillibeng and Shenseea. Moliy said, “Like I knew the song was going to be a blessing, but I can’t say that I knew just how far it was going to reach and the amazing records it’s been able to break and still #1 on the world digital song sales on Billboard.”
The past twelve months have seen “Shake It to the Max (Fly)” (Remix) rack up an impressive list of achievements, including number one on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart, dethroning Tyla’s “Push 2 Start”, which had held the top spot for 20 consecutive weeks. The remix has been certified Gold in the U.S., having moved over 500,000 units. It also earned Gold certification in France. Continuing an impressive reign, the song has been nominated for Best Afrobeats Song at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards. On YouTube in Jamaica, the remix spent multiple non‐consecutive weeks at Number 1. Moliy also became the first Ghanaian artist to surpass 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
While “Shake It to the Max (Fly)” has understandably dominated, Moliy’s catalogue has several other standout moments:
Her earlier collaborations, “Sad Girlz Luv Money” with American rappers Amaarae and Kali Uchis, remain one of her more widely known tracks and helped build early international awareness. She also released “Hard,” featuring South African artist Moonchild Sanelly in 2022, a confident, female‑empowerment style track that underscored her lyrical and stylistic diversity.
In her reflections, Moliy emphasises that her success is not just about one hit or viral moment, but a cumulative build‐up: honing her sound, choosing collaborations, embracing where she came from, engaging with fans, and being strategic with release timing. Her comment, “Bet on Mysel,f” encapsulates the risk she took and how it paid off.
On the anniversary of her life-changing track, the impact is clear: “Shake It to the Max (Fly)” is now part of her identity as an artist making waves globally, and it’s opened doors for bookings, exposure, and anticipation for what she’ll create next.
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