Music of Wednesday, 26 January 2005

Source: ghanamusic.com

Akosua Agyapong?s Musical Summersault

Akosua Agyepong In January 1990, the local world music was set aglow with a feminine voice, which descended like a bolt from above to add colour and splendor with the release of ?Frema? to the highlife music in the country.

Tracks on the album became instant hits after the album was released onto the market, because around that time, there were no ladies who could sparkle highlife terrain.

All along, the name that became synonymous with the album was Akosua Agyapong, who had just returned from the United Kingdom, London to be precise, to contribute her quota to the music industry.

However, the multiplicity of music fans who fell in love with the musical piece had no idea who that Akosua Agyapong lady was. Therefore when, for the first time, Ghana Television (GTV) the only television network in the country at the time started to screen her video clip, tongues started wagging.

The lady was something else, her stage craft, coupled with her confidence and poise instantly shot her to class of her own.

On stage, Akosua was terrific. How she combined her artistic moves and the splendid dancing antics on stage to provide a sense of entertainment, which brought smiles on the faces on her numerous fans, is still a puzzle for most people.

The pretty dance mistress, Akosua, did not stop there but went on to release her second album, which she named ?Asiwa?. Soon after, she followed it up with a third one, when she teamed up with Nat Brew and Rex Omar to form a group called NAKOREX.

In 1993, NAKOREX released a super hit piece, which they called ?Kpanlogo?. The piece permeated the length and breadth of the country, eventually becoming one of the highest sold albums in the country. Akosua took a long break to have children (four of them) before resurfacing once again after members of NAKOREX went their separate ways.

But the irony of the story of Akosua, who was born somewhere in 1959 was that, instead of the usual highlife music, she churned out a gospel piece, ?Nhyira?.

Could it be that she has indeed come to say in the gospel world or only transiting just like her compatriot Charles K. Fosu aka Daddy Lumba did, when he became a born again for two years but retreated to his roots?

Maybe, Akosua?s story would be different as she now fellowships with Christine Doe Tetteh?s Solid Rock Chapel and is in fact playing important roles in the church.

Perhaps the biblical teachings of the Solid Rock leader as well as her charismatic influence in the life of many women in the country would help consolidate the faith of the dancing queen.