Kaakie earns Doctorate in Nursing, launches mental centre
Ghanaian dancehall musician Kaakie has made a major career switch from music to healthcare after earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) qualification and launching a mental health practice in the United States.
The musician, born Grace Kaki Awo Ocansey, is now professionally known as Dr Grace Aidoo, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC.
Kaakie recently launched Kaylora Holistic Wellness & Recovery, a US-based mental health practice offering psychiatric and therapeutic services.
Her new career marks a return to her original professional path. Before becoming a household name in Ghana's dancehall scene, Kaakie studied nursing and midwifery at the University of Ghana.
She rose to fame after participating in the television music competition Stars of the Future, where she finished fifth. Her appearance on the show eventually opened the door to a professional music career.
After working with producer JMJ and signing with Xtra Large Music, Kaakie established herself as one of Ghana's prominent female dancehall artistes.
She released popular songs including Ewoo, Too Much, Toffee Pon Tongue and Zuuchia, while also earning recognition at the Ghana Music Awards. In 2013, she won Best New Artiste of the Year and Reggae/Dancehall Song of the Year.
However, even during the height of her music career, Kaakie maintained her connection to healthcare. She continued working as a registered general nurse while pursuing music and spoke publicly about the challenge of balancing both careers.
Over time, healthcare became the stronger focus.
In 2019, she earned a master's degree from Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom. A year later, she explained in an interview with Joy FM that her desire to contribute to healthcare, particularly maternal health, had grown stronger than her passion for continuing in music.
Kaakie subsequently moved into mental health care, earning a Master of Science in Nursing with a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner specialisation from Walden University in 2025.
Her latest achievement, the Doctor of Nursing Practice, has now taken her healthcare career to the doctoral level.
Through Kaylora Holistic Wellness & Recovery, she provides services including psychiatric evaluations, medication management, ADHD care, psychotherapy, couples' therapy, treatment for anxiety and depression, bipolar disorder care, and trauma and PTSD support.
The practice also provides child and adolescent psychiatric care, court-ordered psychiatric and DUI evaluations, and telehealth services.
Kaakie's transition from one of Ghana's popular female dancehall artistes to a doctoral-level mental health practitioner represents a significant change in her professional life.