Ghanaian-Born To Sing At Winter Olympics

Salt Lake City will echo with music during the Winter Olympics, with a series of Olympic Celebration concerts and an arts festival timed to take advantage of the influx of tourists.

Alanis Morissette, Nelly Furtado, Macy Gray and Sheryl Crow are all lined up to perform during the month-long event.

One of the artists flying the musical flag for Britain at the Winter Olympics will be London gospel singer Gena West.

West, whose background is Ghanaian but who was born in Aberdeen, was a dedicated law student when an encounter with the great Nina Simone pushed her towards her true vocation.

"I met her in Ghana, at my parents' 25th wedding anniversary party - she was one of the African-Americans who had spent time there to find her roots.

"I didn't know she was there, so I got up to sing one of her songs at the party - My Baby Just Cares For Me - and when she came up afterwards I was so scared.

"But she said: 'You'd better give up the law and take up singing'."

Now West has been invited by Winter Olympics sponsor Samsung to sing at a series of concerts to mark the sports event.

"The Olympics opens on Friday, so I've got a show on Thursday and another one on Friday.

"And then I've got some closing concerts - my final one is on 23 February."

West is still deciding on exactly what her musical approach will be for the concerts.

"I've been booked a solo artist but I insisted on taking my pianist - if you can get the pianist right, you're fine.

"They've left the repertoire up to me, and it's going to be a set of very popular, well-known tunes - but I'm not planning to sing The Star Spangled Banner.

"I love Summertime, so I'm bound to do that - even though it's winter time. And I'll probably sing something I've written, too."

West, who recently released a self-produced gospel album, has been promoting it on the UK gospel circuit.

'Appreciation'

If she feels any nervousness about singing at the Winter Olympics, she does not show it.

"I've done gigs in the States and I'm very familiar with Americans.
"They're very giving, very open and they show their appreciation more than Europeans, they're more overt about it.

"And I've got some beautiful gowns to wear, from a couple of designers, Isobell Kristensen and Kruszynska - really fab outfits."
West plans to start work on another album on her return from Salt Lake City at the end of February.

"I'm hoping to record another album, and the fact that I've been booked for the Olympics is a very positive thing - people take you a little more seriously.

"Out of this could come some big stuff."