Ray Michael Djan Jr puts Ghanaian creativity on global stage with Chelsea anthem

Ghanaian producer Ray Michael Djan Jr has co-written and produced Chelsea FC’s new anthem, Can’t Tame Us, featuring King Promise.

Ray worked with King Promise on the song as part of his growing relationship with the English football club through his London-based SW6 Studios.

For Ray, the project is bigger than just making music for a football club. He sees it as another opportunity to showcase Ghanaian talent to a global audience.

“King Promise and I are both proud of where we’re from, so having the chance to bring our Ghanaian roots into a new Chelsea anthem was a great feeling,” Ray said.

The project came about through conversations between Ray, King Promise and Chelsea around creating an Afrobeats-inspired record.

“When I heard the excitement around creating something Afrobeats-inspired, I knew straight away that I’d love to bring a Ghanaian influence into the project. It just felt like a natural fit,” he said.

Ray also has a wider relationship with Chelsea and its Foundation. Through SW6, he has been involved in the Blue Creator Collective, an initiative that gives young creatives opportunities to develop and showcase their talent.

His work with King Promise on the anthem adds another chapter to that relationship.

“King Promise is my brother and an amazing international talent, so it was a real pleasure getting to work with him on this,” Ray said.

The project also taps into the strong connection between Ghana and Chelsea, a relationship Ray believes was helped greatly by former Ghana midfielder Michael Essien.

“There’s also a huge Chelsea following in Ghana, particularly through the legacy of Michael Essien, who I think helped build that connection for a whole generation of Ghanaian supporters,” he said.

Beyond the anthem, Ray is focused on creating more opportunities for Ghanaian creatives internationally.

Through Paradisus Studios in Aburi, he has hosted artists including King Promise, Black Sherif and Sarkodie, as well as international music companies for writing camps.

“One of my biggest ambitions with Paradisus has always been to bring more of the international music industry directly into Ghana and create opportunities for people to collaborate right on our doorstep,” he said.

Ray wants to see more Ghanaian artists, producers, songwriters, filmmakers and other creatives work with international brands and companies.

“We’ve got incredible artists, producers, songwriters, filmmakers and creatives in Ghana, and I’m always keen to celebrate that and connect our talent with opportunities internationally where possible,” he said.

He hopes the Chelsea project will encourage more partnerships between Ghanaian creatives and global brands, football clubs, film studios and entertainment companies.

“There’s so much we can do, and hopefully projects like this encourage more of those conversations,” Ray added.

For a lifelong Chelsea fan, the personal reward is also clear.

“As a Chelsea fan, hearing a record I’ve co-written and produced representing the club is a pretty special feeling,” he said.