Efya: My Mum Is Tough

Efya

Every human being has a lifestyle and behavior that is determined by a lot of factors, and Ghana’s new sensation, Efya is no different.

Regardless of pockets of negative rumours surrounding her lifestyle, her public image has so far not confirmed any of those rumours.     

The 24-year-old singer says whatever she is today in life is as a result of her upbringing by her celebrity mother, Nana Adwoa Awindor, the popular host of rested TV programme ‘Greetings from Abroad’. 

Efya believes she is a strong African woman because her loving mum is as a “strong woman”. 

“Yes, my mother brought me up well. My mother is a very tough person and she taught me a lot in my life and I believe that she is the person who made me who I am right now. I am grateful to her, God bless my mother,” she told NEWS-ONE in an exclusive interview on Saturday.

Nana Adwoa Awindor

“I live a liberal life. I am very conscious, so I believe that everybody has a chance do whatever they want to as long as you put your mind to it and apart from that I believe that you make yourself. So I do what I want to do and I do it how I want to do it with whom I want to do it with. And as long as I believe in it and I have a positive energy towards it, I do and know that it is going to work out. That is me. I plan for stuff that are supposed to be planned for and let the rest go because I believe that in life, God has a purpose for everybody and that everything that happens has a meaning,” she stated.   

Efya is a new sensation in Ghana music, with her latest single ‘Little Things’ gaining more attention. Some music enthusiasts have described her as a new voice on the Africa soul music scene but she calls her kind of music ‘Afro neo-soul’.

She used to be known as ‘Jane’, a member of the musical duo Irene and Jane, discovered on Charter House’s Stars of The Future reality show.

The duo released their album titled ‘Unveiled’ and also had the chance to work with all-female Ugandan trio Blu 3. In 2008, the duo had an award for Best Female Vocal Performance at the Ghana Music Awards, and a nomination each at the KORA Music Awards and Channel O Music Video Awards.

Not long ago, they split, with Irene signing on to Lynx Entertainment and Jane going her separate way.

Not much was heard from Jane, who now prefers to be called Efya, after she previously adopted Miss Jane as her showbiz name.

But she told NEWS-ONE that her reason for not being active for a while was because “I was in school. I have now finished university (University of Ghana) but I was still in school when we started the Irene and Jane thing”.

Currently, her ‘Little Things’ is enjoying massive airplay. She also did the ‘Sassy Walaha’ soundtrack for Shirley Frimpong Manso’s ‘Adams Apples’.

She also has a number of collaborations with other artistes and songs for her upcoming album.

“My album is finally coming out early next year. I am trying to shoot some videos for the singles before the album finally arrives,” she promised.

She said her single is unique from others in the system because “I put a lot of emotions into it. I also appreciate all the little things that I have done. It wasn’t easy. I am also grateful for everything that everybody did for me to get me this far. I appreciate it”.

Efya is a former student of Yaa Asantewaa Secondary School. She pursued a degree programme in Philosophy and Theatre Arts at the University of Ghana.

She is one of the female artistes billed for Hype Record’s upcoming all-female concert dubbed ‘Red Lipsticks’, on October 29 at the National Theatre Accra.

Last Friday, she gave a soothing performance at the Ghana Meets Naija concert organized by Empire Entertainment.