It started as a gamble, one that could have gone terribly wrong. Instead, it made both a young investor and gospel singer Esther Smith rich, following the release of what would become a defining album in Ghana’s gospel music scene.

Speaking on The Delay Show, the musician recounted how her breakthrough project, which featured songs like “Gye No Di,” “Adzekoro,” and “Agyedifo Ataban,” came together under unlikely circumstances at the turn of the millennium.

Esther Smith, the eldest and only daughter among four siblings, said she was in her early 20s when the inspiration for her music began to take shape. At the time, she was working at a printing press while nurturing what would become a life-changing calling.

According to her, her songs were not written in the conventional sense but received during moments of prayer and fasting. She traced the origin of “Gye No Di” to a 31st December watchnight service, where a sermon based on Jeremiah 33:3 spoke about calling on God in times of difficulty.

Her father had lost his job, and the message resonated deeply.

She said the sermon came to her in the form of a song. “A voice sang the sermon,” she recalled, adding that she continued singing it when she returned home. Other songs on the album were similarly inspired by sermons she had listened to.

Her proximity to producer Morris Babyface proved crucial. Living in the same estate, she reached out to him to record demo versions of her songs. The demos were later circulated to established executive producers in Kumasi, but progress stalled as many had long waiting lists.

A breakthrough came when a Dutch national, identified as Roberto, set up a well-equipped recording studio in Asokwa, where Morris Babyface was working. While the technical side of production improved, funding remained a major challenge.

That was until an unexpected visitor changed everything.

A man identified as Patrick, said to be the brother of a figure known as Ankobeahene, visited Esther Smith at her workplace after hearing her songs at the studio. He expressed interest in financing the project.

The gospel musician admitted she did not take him seriously at first.

“I was expecting big executive producers,” she said, explaining that Patrick did not appear to have the financial capacity. In a bid to discourage him, she deliberately doubled the amount she intended to charge—from six million cedis to twelve million cedis.

But Patrick returned shortly after with the full amount.

According to Esther Smith, he revealed that the money had been given to him by Ankobeahene for a building project. Instead, he chose to invest it in her music.

“He said if he doesn’t get rich from the song, he would never get rich,” she recounted.

Within a week of the album’s release, songs from the project began receiving significant airplay across major radio stations, quickly gaining national attention.

The gamble paid off.

Esther Smith said the album sold extensively, transforming her financial situation and establishing her as one of the leading voices in Ghana’s gospel music industry. Patrick, the investor, also reportedly became wealthy from the success of the project.

She added that she reinvested her earnings into her printing press business, maintaining a balance between her music ministry and entrepreneurship.

Reflecting on the experience, the gospel musician underscored the lesson she took from the encounter.

She said underestimating people can be costly, noting that the least expected individuals can sometimes make the biggest difference.

The story, she suggested, remains a powerful reminder of faith, risk, and the unpredictable paths through which success can emerge.