Ghanaian dancehall star Stonebwoy has opened up about a lesser-known aspect of his early career, revealing that he often appeared serious and unsmiling during music video shoots.

In a recent interview with DJ Slim, the “Submarine” hitmaker admitted that he only later realised how important facial expression is when performing on camera.

At the time, however, smiling did not come naturally to him.

“I used to frown whenever I was shooting a music video,” he shared, recalling moments from the filming of his song Submarine.

“The director was surprised and told me I had a nice smile, so I should use it more.

That’s when it hit me.”

Stonebwoy explained that despite the song being a love-themed track, he maintained a stern expression throughout the video—something he later recognised didn’t match the mood of the music.

He added humorously that the realization made him change his approach going forward, especially when working alongside other artists.

“I even thought about how people would react if I didn’t smile in collaborations,” he noted.

The award-winning musician also linked his reserved nature to his past, revealing that difficult childhood experiences shaped his personality.

According to him, growing up under tough circumstances made him develop a serious outlook on life.

“It wasn’t really my fault,” he said. “After going through certain experiences at a young age, I was always in survival mode. That affected how I expressed myself.”