Music of Monday, 14 May 2007

Source: ghanamusic.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">ghanamusic.com

Meet Samuel Kwajo Antwi

At 11 years, he started singing to the admiration of his fellow pupils and teachers of the Nkoranza Anglican Primary School.

He and his friends during childhood used empty tins as drums with him doing the singing. Sometimes, they constructed huts using palm leaves and performed in the huts.

His performances sometimes earned him a few pesewas from some of the town?s folk. It was therefore not surprising when Ghanaians in Niger gave him the name Kwajo Sibo, after Paa Solo, a singer of Sibo Brothers Band whose songs he sang very well when he travelled to that country.

In 1990, after his Junior Secondary School education, Samuel Kwajo Antwi, known in showbiz as Nana Antwi gained admission into the Nkoranza Senior Secondary School in 1991. He however dropped from school after the first year due to financial problems.

As a result, Nana Antwi, decided to travel abroad for greener pastures. He made it to Libya but while working there in 1995 it occurred to him to return to his motherland and instead develop the music talents God has given him.

He returned home and begun his musical career in 2000 after successfully making his first demo which he gave to Oheneba Kissi for direction and guidance as to how to get it recorded.

Nana Antwi later met Nana Kwaku Osei a.k.a. Nacy, a music engineer and Abraham Ohene Djan of OM Studio, who assisted him to do the recording of his first album.

The first album Fakye had seven tracks including the title song Fakye, Ohia Nti, Sika Mpoano, Odo Se Menwu, Abrafi, Mewu and Adonkoo.

Nana Antwi expressed gratitude to Appietus and Nacy who helped him record his second album Salute, with the former Member of Parliament, Eric Amoateng, as his producer. This second album contains eight songs including Fre no Mame featuring Batman, Salute, Otwe ma me, Abrabo, Menkyere, Kasa, Yaa Boatemaa and Me mma bio.

The album, according to Nana Antwi was doing well until the arrest of his producer which greatly affected his success.

Nana Antwi got dampened in spirit, as he felt all was lost because he did not know who to contact for help.

In what one could describe as the plan of God, Nana Antwi happened to have been selected as one of the musicians who performed during Nana Quame?s Soldier Tour of the country to raise funds in aid of the needy in society.

His performance during the tour caught the eyes of audience at most of the towns and with their recommendation, Nana Quame could not help but hook Nana Antwi up to his managers, Base Mana-gement in London who are helping him (Nana Antwi) comes out with his third album which is expected to be released after the Easter period.

The new album is titled Koowa Di Koowa. The eight tracks on the new album are Koowa, Beimu, Abanoma, Adaakwa, Meko, Esse Me Mmre, Fakye and Akwanoma.

Currently, Nana Antwi who is trying to polish up before the album comes out, is planning to travel to Britain to meet the officials of Base Management.

Nana Antwi?s music is purely highlife and the records are hits, especially Fre no mame.

Unlike, some other musicians whose parents normally would not want their children to be musicians, his parents, Kofi Ankomako Diamono, a farmer at Nkoranza, and his mother Agnes Owusua Afia, a trader gave him their blessing. They have also supported him in many ways, especially morally.

"My parents are themselves interested in music and always give me their moral support," he said.

Nana Antwi who was born on August 14, 1974 at Nkoranza is the third of six children. He does not play any instrument and does not belong to any band, but intends to study music in Britain, to enable him improve upon his skills.

He begun with computer recordings, but through continued practice or rehearsals, he now does live performances.

For him listening to music is his hobby and all he hates in life is gossip.

Nana Antwi who is presently single wants to get settled before he gets married. "I really want to get married to enable me enjoy my favourite foods, banku and groundnut soup or rice and stew better at home. But I need to settle down first. There is no hurry in life," he said.

To him, things, are not easy in the field of music, especially for the young and coming ones to make a mark and that is why they really need to come out with very catching songs.

Nana Antwi, sees Oheneba Kissi, Daddy Lumba and Nana Quame as his mentors who have always inspired him.

Nana Antwi highly recognises his music career and urges others either in music or in any other field to stick to whatever they are doing and all would be well.