Contemporary highlife musician Nana Quame has explained his absence from Ghana’s music scene, saying that he took a six-year break just to take care of his family. Nana, born Henry De-Mensah, was one of Ghana’s celebrated contemporary highlife stars. He was very popular in the early 2000s with songs like ‘Atia Donko’, ‘Ado Di Me’, ‘Julie’ and others.

But he went off the scene, not long after he threw a challenge to fellow musician Ofori Amponsah that he (Nana) would quit music if Ofori beat him in live band performance because he (Nana) was better than him. But Ofori ignored the challenge.

He returned to the music scene this year with a new song titled “Akye”, and will be staging his first major performance at the F14 Concert by ABBA Investment on Valentine’s Day.

“Do you know we musicians have no pension? So I took a break out of music to take care of my kids. Because I am a father, I have to take care of my kids. I think it is important because when you go to the studio, when you record and do promotion there is no break. It keeps on and on and on. So you don’t have time. So I took a break to take care of my kids.

Secondly, to also sort out some one or two issues,” he said last Friday during the launch of F14 Concert.

This year’s F14 Concert will be a night of music, dance and comedy at the Accra International Conference Centre.

The show will line up some of the country’s finest artistes including Amakye Dede, R2bees, Nana Quame and others, with comedy coming from DKB and others.

Nana Quame said the concert was his major comeback concert though he would also perform at Mzbel’s Red Concert on February 7.

“I will be performing on Mzbel’s programme but I will say there is a big difference between F14 Concert and Mzbel concert. February 22 is my birthday, and I see F14 as my birthday present to my fans and love ones because I have been away for about six years now. It means a lot to me,” he added.