Ghana Music.com Experience With Ekow Savage

Ghana has produced more than its fair share of international stars, but there is one that has shone more brightly than any other for more than two decades now in the Western world.

Ekow Savage is by far one of the best known Ghanaian musician of his generation, and is described by Ghana Music.com as the most notable music personality to emerge from the whole World music phenomenon to introduce “Sunlife Music”'.

Despite opposition from his mum and grandmum, he was born as a gifted singer. Anchored by an album tilted “Return to Zion”, he will be coming to his homeland to launch the album this March during our Golden jubilee celebrations.

Ekow Savage based in Germany, took some time off his busy recording schedule to grant us an exclusive interview.

Ghana Music.com: Could you please give me a little background about yourself?
Ekow Savage: Ekow Alabi Savage is a Fantiman, born in Takoradi. Schooled in Accra in the ghetto of Abossey Okai, Kaneshie, Mataheko and hustled around Accra. I started playing music as a drum roadie for Pat Thomas and D Sweet Beans before I was employed as a percussion player. I was by then also playing in a spiritual church.

I was a gifted musician by birth but my mum and grand mum didn't like the idea of me doing music so I had to run from school to go and play music but now its a bit easier because musician have the respect, and great properties and so on.

Ghana Music.com: It seems you are one of the old players in the music industry flying Ghana's flag high. Tell me more about that and how you feel about it?
Ekow Savage: I feel great to be one of the flag bearers in our field of 'edutainment' (Education in Entertainment). We need to teach the now and the next generation thru music because it's a great language. I am always on tour with other artistes and this includes the Nigerian artiste, Ade Bantu (2005 Kora Award Winner) as a drummer.

We were really promoting Ghana and Africa in general as Osagyefo Kwame tutored us as young pioneers. Anyway I am a founding member of Roots Anabo fame and we toured the world playing our brand of music we named ''Sunlife' which comprised of jazz, highlife, funk, reggae, African traditional and it's danceable.

Ghana Music.com: Enough about yourself, let's talk about your album?
Ekow Savage: Eh! My latest music is so great, it's called “Going for Gold”. And it's because am 50years like Ghana, a real Ghanaba, so our great nation and I will be celebrating the golden age together. I dedicate my record to all those born this 'time', 'now', the 'future' and also our 'past' because if you don't know your past, you wont know your future.

Ghana Music.com: How different is your new album from your other albums?
Ekow Savage: If there is. My first solo album is “Return To Zion” (Gye Nyame). It's special to me. I was versatile on the album, which I have crafted as Sunlife music.

I have a special Ghana song, titled 'Yen Ara Asase' which I recomposed, praising our leaders with my nice thought of lyrics.

Ghana Music.com: What is your favourite song on your new album?
Ekow Savage: I have so much songs but the one I wrote with a sister singer from Kenya called Mariamu Morris titled “Asante Sana” (I thank you so much) is so dear to me. We sang in Swahili and Akan. The song is already making headlines here in Germany.

Ghana Music.com: Are there any other songs that are special to you on the new album?
Ekow Savage: 'Asante Sana', 'Good morning Africa', 'Ataa', 'Rasta', 'Efutu', 'Awerekyikyire' featuring Dr. Bizzy, and more.

Ghana Music.com: How many songs are on the album?
Ekow Savage: 11 tracks

Ghana Music.com: Where do you get your inspiration from?
Ekow Savage: From Nyame.

Ghana Music.com: Do any of the tracks on your new album represent you?
Ekow Savage: The track called 'Home and Mama'.

Ghana Music.com: What was your first performance onstage like?
Ekow Savage: Super good but I was frightened and after that it was flowing like river.

Ghana Music.com: Did you ever want to be what you are now?
Ekow Savage: I always want to be simple and a low profile artiste.

Ghana Music.com: Who are some of your favourite ragga artistes?
Ekow Savage: They are so many. I can't mention all. I love all good music and good artiste especially those who say something about the world.

Ghana Music.com: From day one, would you say that you knew you wanted to sing?
Ekow Savage: I started singing from the first cry when I came out of my mum's womb.

Ghana Music.com: Would you like to collaborate with other artistes in the future?
Ekow Savage: I am already collaborating with about four artistes on my new album namely Mariamu Morris (Kenya), ,Djatou Toure (Ivory Coast), Charles (Nigeria) and Dr. Bizzy (Ghana). I would love to do a song with Tinny.

Ghana Music.com: If you come to Ghana, what will be your next move?
Ekow Savage: To chill, take it easy to release my new works so I need to meet the righteous people in the business.

Ghana Music.com: What's the Ghanaian music scene like in Berlin?
Ekow Savage: It's okay. It could better but it's like our music is for our people. George Darko plays some gigs but he's always better of in Ghana and that's what I am thinking of to do, just play music for my people in Africa and bring it back to Berlin big.

Ghana Music.com: Have worked you ever worked with some artistes before. Be it foreign or local?
Ekow Savage: With Pat Thomas, Kojo Antwi, Eeka Mouse (Jamaica), Reality Brothers (International band in Germany), Vitamin X (Ghana) and Jimi Tenor.

Ghana Music.com: What has been some of the challenges in your profession?
Ekow Savage: When the people you meet are not professionals they tend to waste your time and this always slows me down so I prefer to go on my own and take the big challenge which is difficult but with God I will break thru.

Ghana Music.com: What's your future like?
Ekow Savage: Coming home to settle and give support to the new musicians and all.

Ghana Music.com: Use your last words to tell me about something that I don't know and what you want others also to know?
Ekow Savage: I am an easy-loving person and love all; whether you are Hearts or Kotoko, NDC or NPP, White man or Black Woman. We should learn to love each other.

These are the words of Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah “If Africa unite the world, it will be free and mankind will live in total peace”. It will be continued when I come to Ghana.

By Nii Atakora Mensah, Ghana Music.com