Highlife Just Needs a Little Salt (A case of Akosua@ 25)

The night of 30th May, 2015 at the Accra International Conefernce Centre will go down in history as a a night where Highlife came alive better than the currently trend of music genre in high demand. It was a night to celebrate the twenty fifth anniversary of one of Ghana's most talented female singer and performer Akosua Adjepong.

In current times, hiplife and dancehall music have dominated the Ghanaian music scenes and the recently held Vodafone Ghana Music Awards says it all. Highlife music which is deeply rooted from Ghana had only three artiste in the Highlife Artiste of the Year category. Though many have said there are more highlife artistes who deserved the opportunity to be in that category.

At the Akosua @25, Highlife music was really celebrated in grand style though hiplife and Dancehall was also on display in the Arts of Edem, MzVee and Sarkodie.

Highlife on the night was represented on the night by Nana Kwame Ampadu, Papa Yankson, A.B Crentsil , Rex Omar, Amandzeba, Ambolley and Akosua Adjepong the celebrant.

On the night, A.B. Crentsil opened the arts to the excitement of patrons on the night. The Highlife guru rocked songs like Juliana, Atia and lots of hits song back in the days but was received by patrons as if the songs were released just recently.

 He was followed by the Former Western Diamonds Band member, Paapa Yankson who performed Okukuseku and Awo Twen. Paapa Yankson did not perform many of his hit songs but patrons loved and screamed in excitement like never before.

I must confess, Highlife is really in the blood of Ghanaians and only need a little salt to revive it in full scale. Watching Amandzeba, Rex Omar, Ambolley, Nana Kwame Ampadu and Ekow Micah take patrons into memory lane on the night amazed me seriously. I believed that, if anyone had underrated Highlife, he or she would have re-written his books on the night.

Becca rocked the stage with her magical voice and when it came to Akosua Adjepong, she rocked the stage with support from Actress, Nana Ama McBrown. The two ladies performed like never seen before.  A well crafted art and well rehearse stage art from dancers to the band and to the two ladies (Akosua and Nana McBrown).
The crowd cheered them on with their arts on stage and it really threw the hall into a fire of unquenchable one. On the night, Akosua@25 really made a strong statement which showed why she has being relevant for the past 25 years in music.

An interesting moment on stage was when  Akosua Adjepong and her ex-husband Amandzeba performed for the first time their classic tune "First Time". The lyrics in the songs easily related to the two artistes who have gone their separate ways years ago.

Akosua Adjepong rocked her hits songs like Frema, Born Again, Kakyere Me, Meye Obaa, Meni Otawo and Asiwa.

Lessons per our coverage:

The younger generation on the night really did not rock as compared to the older generation. With Sarkodie, Edem and MzVee in action, it was really not impressive as one would witness from such artistes.

One may say the patrons on the night for the program were Highlife lovers and if so it was, then Highlife music still has a huge fan base.

Highlife simply needs proper packaging and also move with the current trend which is social media.
 
Lots of people showed so much support and love for these Highlife gurus on the night and we strongly believe if they are always given the opportunity into the lives of these artistes on a daily bases or frequently, they will surely remain relevant in all angles.

Again, these Highlife veterans need to collaborate with today's young artistes to enable them widen their market. Collaborations would give these veterans the opportunity to serve two generations. Their time and today's generation.
It is time Highlife music rise to the occasion and make more impact in the line of music competition for an estimated twenty five million people.