Akosua Agyepong

Pretty looking Akosua Agyepong is one adorable public figure. In spite of her well-known singing ability, she is also very good on stage with crowd-shaking craft.

Akosua is a very good dancer. She was one of the few ladies who took highlife music back in the days and she has been able to make an indelible mark since then. Read more about her beauty and successful music career in this interview with Ghana Billboard.

GB: Who are you?
Akosua: My name is simply Akosua Agyepong.

GB: Where and when were you born?
Akosua: I was born in Accra on the 17th of November 1959.

GB: Where do you come from?
Akosua: I am half Ashanti, half Akyem. My daddy comes from Kumasi Breman in the Ashanti Region.

GB: What is your educational background?
Akosua: I started from Harrow International School which is still in existence at Abeka and I had my secondary education at Holy Child Secondary in Cape Coast after which I had a computer course for one year at NCR and entered music.

GB: What was your dream when you were a child?
Akosua: I loved composing songs when I was a child so I wanted to become a musician right from my childhood.

GB: How did your music career start?
Akosua: As I said, I loved music since I was a child because I used to compose songs myself and teach my friends how to sing them, but when I grew up and wanted to take it as my profession, it was really tough. Since I was good, my mum wanted me to continue my education but I said no because I wanted to go into music. My mum had to sponsor me but she said she would only do that if I was prepared to offer a computer course. I agreed to what she said.

GB: When did you bring out you first album?
Akosua: It actually came out in the early part of 1990 and I remembered it was 1st January. The title of that album was Freema which had songs like 'Me ye Obaa', 'Born again', 'anan tuo', 'san be hwe won ba many more'.

GB: What was your second album?
Akosua: My second album was entitled 'Asiwa' which had songs like 'Kokokoo' and other songs on it, but fortunately or unfortunately for me, the 'kokooko' became a hit. I didn't like that album because people were saying so many things about the 'Esiwaa' track which wasn't true so it became a problem but there was nothing I could do about it. I did my third album with NAKOREX and it also had songs like 'Odo be ma mi sun ko', 'Medo wu senia wo ti yiara' remix and many other lovely songs. In all, I have four albums to my credit and one other with NAKOREX making five.

GB: What is NAKOREX?
Akosua: it was a group o three strong musicians namely Nat Brew, Akosua Agyepong and Rex Omar. The name was taken from our initials.

GB: Who brought about NOKOREX?
Akosua: The three of us went for a show and there was this Nigerian man who was in charge of affairs. After performing individually, he called us and said he would manage us, because we performed well. We later sat down and came up with the name NAKOREX.

GB: How many albums did you do with NAKOREX?
Akosua: We had two albums. One was with my third album and the second one was entitled 'Kpalongo'.

GB: Is NAKOREX still in existence?
Akosua: No. The group is no more. Everybody is doing solo now.

GB: How come?
Akosua: it got to some point Rex Omar wanted to go solo so he told us and we respected his decision but we also agreed that when there is a big show and we are invited as a group, we will still get together and do it.

GB: What really went into Rex Omar's decision?
Akosua: Well, he may have personal reason which I may not be aware of. But all I know is what I told you, because there was nothing bad that happened. It will interest you to know that, the three of us are very good friends.

GB: How long have you been into music?
Akosua: I started way back in 1990 so it has fourteen years now.

GB: What is the secret behind your success?
Akosua: If you believe in what you do, you end up becoming the best because some people just do things the way they like. If you trust in yourself and add prayers to whatever you doing, success will be all yours.

GB: What has been some of the challenges you faced in your career?
Akosua: A lot of them and especially being a lady. I am saying this because when some ladies realize they are beautiful and admired by other people especially men, they use their beauty for negative things like sleeping with other men in the name of money. It is better for me to be poor with all the respect I need than to be rich from the pockets of some men out there and loose all my respect and dignity with fingers pointing at me everywhere I go. For the challenges, they come in their numbers but by the grace of God we are able to overcome them all.

GB: What do you do apart from your present career?
Akosua: Aside my music, I am a parent so I use part of time to take care of my children and I own a restaurant called 'Ye Kum Kom' at Rawlings Park in Accra Central so I use part of my time managing my restaurant.

GB: Why do you change from circular to gospel music?
Akosua: In a way, I was a gospel musician from day one because all the songs I come up with always advise people. For instance, 'Me ye obaa' was an advice against indecent dressing of young ladies and how to clean they should keep their womanhood, 'Kokooko' was also to alert the men out there who are running away from responsibilities, same applies to 'anan tuo' born again and many others. So I don't think I have changed from the way I sing and what I talk about. The only difference is maybe the name Jesus and the title gospel. If you are able to sing and change people's lives, it is gospel in its own way.

GB: How long do you wish to do music?
Akosua: I am singing till I die, so me and my music till death do us part.

GB: Are you married?
Akosua: yes, I am married with four children. Thus three girls and one boy.

GB: How is you marriage and your kids affecting your profession?
Akosua: My profession is not affected in any way because I know how to go around my things. I have time for my family, music my restaurant and it is very easy for me.

GB: Do you have any unfulfilled dreams?
Akosua: Yes I have a very important one. I really want to build a school for the homeless or the orphans. A very big school where they will have their library, hospital, playing ground and everything that will make them happy, because I always see myself playing with a lot of children happily beside me. So I really want to do that and I pray to God to help me do it before he calls me.

GB: What are your hobbies?
Akosua: I like cooking, dancing, singing and giving people names.

GB: What is your favourite food?
Akosua: I liked boiled plantain with grounded eggs in our local black asanka with palm oil and boiled eggs with one big koobi standing in one corner waiting to be attended to.


GB: What is your favourite color?
Akosua: With colours, I think I like blue and purple.

GB: What do you dislike about your profession?
Akosua: What I hate is the way people talk about other people. On hearing something, they really don't wait for the facts but rather go spreading it as if they are witnesses to the incidents. They sometimes make some of us regret been famous and I don't like that at all.

GB: Who is your role model?
Akosua: I have role models because they are many but let me mention a few. Mrs. Konadu Agyeman Rawlings. That woman has inspired me a lot because she is strong, she always knows what she is doing and when she says something she always stands by her words.

GB: What is your opinion on hiplife?
Akosua: I like hiplife very much but I still think they can do better than they are doing now because we have so many rhythms in Ghana like the Bobobo, Kpanlogo, Adowa, Agbaja and so on. When you take these rhythms and add your local rap, you get good music but nobody has even tried it. What the Ghanaian young guys are doing now is just like hiphop and you and I know that when it comes to hiphop, the Americans are the best so why don't we capitalize on what we have in Ghana, improve it and send it to them and you will be surprised they would even like it than their hiphop. There are so many ways to lift our music up and I know when they try this; our music is going to fly higher and higher.

GB: Finally, what re your last words in a form of advice to the public?
Akosua: I want all Ghanaians to know that it is not easy to get where I have gotten. It takes faith and strength because we are all human and we are easily influenced but at the end of the day if you want to get somewhere then you have to pray to God to lift you up. I am also advising people out there that don't take anything from the devil because when the devil gives you something, no matter how long it takes he will definitely come for his thing but when God gives to you. He adds more to it and you go higher and higher. All is patience and faith in yourself and in the God you serve and all will be well with you. Amen.

GB: Thank you very much for your time.
Akosua: It is always my pleasure.