Since she broke into limelight in the 2008 edition of Stars of the Future, a Charterhouse reality show, Efya has remained as constant as the Northern Star.

In all seasons, she has been one of Ghana’s bankable nightingales. Her career has been on the upswing, her music a tonic to the listening masses and she gets better every year.

The “Forgetting Me” singer, whose name is Afia Boafowaa Awindor, recently threw her weight behind the campaign against the energy crisis that has hit Ghana hard in the last few weeks. In this exclusive interview, held at her Abelenkpe residence, she justifies why she is on the #DumsorMustStop train.

Never one to talk with her tongue in cheek, she gave direct answers to the questions thrown at her. Her views about marriage, especially, are as thought-provoking as they are insightful. She also shares some tidbits about her forthcoming album that is just around the corner. Excerpt.

What are your thoughts as a celebrity on the dum-so problem?

This dum–so is ridiculous; my generator has been on for 36 hours. That’s why we are doing the vigil. Everybody needs to come out and join us and support us. We are going to be at Tetteh Quarshie Roundabout; everybody should bring a candle and let’s have a peaceful vigil over what’s happening.

Is that why you join the anti dum-so campaign?

It’s not about choosing to join. I mean it’s my country I also want my concerns to be heard. That’s my way. If the matter is worrying you, how do you get it stopped if you don’t complain? How do you expect it to be solved? It’s like you are in an abusive relationship and you keep quiet.

People have associated the celebrities involved in the organization of this vigil to politics and many other things how do you feel?

The light is going off every day – that’s our concern. We don’t care about politics. When I was growing up, things were not like this. I don’t understand why people are associating us to politics. This is the concern of every Ghanaian and every Ghanaian doesn’t have the platform that we have. So we are the voice to the voiceless. We are the people with numbers and numbers don’t lie. So if we can get all our numbers to agree with us on one thing, maybe, somebody would listen to us and try to solve this problem.

You’ve seen the reaction from different quarters to this vigil including the threats. Doesn’t this bother you?

I don’t get those reactions. Maybe those people are living somewhere else and not in Ghana.

Let’s get personal. Would you one day want to see yourself as a Mrs., married and with kids?

I don’t know. I haven’t made those decisions. It’s not something I think about. I don’t think I am ready for marriage. Our generation is confused there is no trust. Everybody has trust issues. Everybody wonders what love is now.

It is not like 20 or even 10 years ago. It’s different and I just think that love should be real. If I’m going to spend the rest of my life with someone, it should be someone I can trust, otherwise what’s the point. If I find someone I trust, I don’t even have to get married. I could spend the rest of my life with the person and we die. I just think I have a different philosophy on these matters.

What is your philosophy?

I think you should be able to make yourself happy with or without marriage. The eternal achievement in life is to be successful and also happy. No matter how successful you are, if you are not happy then there is no point. That is why people commit suicide. So, if you can find a balance between those two things and be fulfilled with your life and yourself, I think that’s the highest level that you can get to.

Are you a religious person?

I love God. I believe that He is around. I talk to Him sometimes.

Are you a Christian?

Yes, I am a Christian. I pray a lot. Much more than I go to church.

So what is your advice to the young people coming after you?

You just need a great team and people who know what they are doing. You need to have real talent because real talent never dies, so, it’s about self-discipline. If you know what you want, you would work towards it – get a great team and make good music. Give the people what they want because if you do so, you would be up the hill – they are the one who buy the CDs and download the music. If you want to be around for a long time you need to discipline yourself; as you do so, your voice would become stronger.

How far do you intend to take your whole career?

As far as I can go. It’s my life. This is what I do. If I’m not in the studio, I’m travelling; if I’m not travelling, I’m in the studio.

Ghanaians are very judgmental about your look and other personal stuff. How does that make you feel?

I guess being who I am, my life is already out there so I guess it’s up to me to make myself happy and not let what they say get to me.

Do you think they sometimes go far?I mean people go too far like talking about my mum. But it’s difficult to control what people say to you, especially in this generation of social media. Most of the time, I just ignore them. Some people are just trolls so you just have to ignore them.

So, what’s next for Efya?

My album, The Love Genesis is coming out soon. It’s been a long time coming. There are some amazing artistes on the album. I’ve been thinking about how to drop the album, whether to have a big party, but we would see.

Who are some of these artistes?

Sarkodie is on it. So is Ice Prince, Lady J and Afrodrac – a group I formed with my German friend.

When should we expect it?

It would be a summer album, so it will be out by June.