Daddy Lumba, Ernest Opoku and their ‘sing-alikes’ that trailblazed the Ghanaian music scene

Immersing yourself in their music through headphones, with no visual cues, it becomes a challenge to distinguish between these distinct voices.

For decades, the legendary Daddy Lumba and a cohort of Ghanaian musicians, echoing his vocal style, have graced our ears with their unique sound.

Artistes like Kofi Nti, Ofori Amponsah, the now-evangelist Papa Shee, and Dada KD, all from the Highlife genre, share a vocal quality and singing style reminiscent of Daddy Lumba.

A similar pattern is observed among certain gospel musicians.

The roster wouldn't be complete without mentioning Brother Sammy, whose voice mirrors that of Ernest Opoku.

Interestingly, some of these vocal doppelgängers, including Ofori Amponsah, were once protégés of Lumba.

Ernest Opoku has also confirmed that Brother Sammy was once under his tutelage.

Ofori Amponsah’s vocal journey influenced by Daddy Lumba?

The musical alliance between Ofori Amponsah and Daddy Lumba, which rose to fame in the late '90s, has yielded a plethora of hits, cementing their legacy in Ghana's music history.

Tracks like 'Ku me preko', 'Wo da a da', 'Odo mmra fie', 'Jane', and 'Wonkoa' are fruits of their longstanding collaboration.

In various interviews, Ofori Amponsah acknowledged Daddy Lumba as his mentor, having learned the ropes from him before making his mark in the industry.

He has repeatedly expressed profound respect and admiration for Daddy Lumba, highlighting his impact on his musical path.



Kofi Nti’s resonance with the 'Daddy Lumba effect'

The bond between Kofi Nti and Daddy Lumba evolved from mentorship to partnership.

The accomplished Highlife singer Kofi Nti, whose voice bears a striking similarity to Daddy Lumba's, now frequently shares the stage with him as a lead vocalist.

They have been seen performing together, with Kofi Nti supporting the venerable Daddy Lumba.

While they haven't collaborated on music, Kofi Nti, who isn't actively recording solo tracks, often performs Daddy Lumba's hits at their joint appearances.



Dada KD's 'Lumba-esque' vocals

Listening to Dada KD's songs might make one believe they're hearing a Daddy Lumba track.

Songs like 'Fatia fata Nkrumah', 'Ebeboawo', 'Obiara Se Eye', 'Somgye', and 'Mewura' showcase the 'Lumba-like' vocal quality.

Though Lumba and KD haven't worked together, the fervour in KD's voice and his romantic delivery unmistakably align him with the musical icon.




Papa Shee's evolution

Papa Shee, who began as Daddy Lumba's lead dancer, transitioned into a full-fledged recording artiste, and his singing notably echoes that of his former mentor, Lumba.

His early 2000s hits such as 'Atadwee', 'Koyoonsor', 'Atadwe', 'Yaa Asantewa', and 'Atepa' bear testament to this influence.



Brother Sammy's 'vocal kinship' with Ernest Opoku

These gospel artistes share a vocal signature and texture.

Brother Sammy and Ernest Opoku, both revered Ghanaian gospel worship leaders, have songs that resonate similarly.

While Brother Sammy has often refuted this, Ernest Opoku consistently asserts that he played a role in shaping Sammy's musical style.

Yet, they haven't recorded any tracks together.



A GhanaWeb feature written by Elsie Lamar

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