Highlife Time: Where Are They Now ?: Focus On Felix Owusu Of Woaben Fame

"Ghana is a great country", a foreign friend visiting Takoradi, Ghana for the first time summed up his personal experience in the quoted words. Well, we all know that the statement is very true especially when it comes to making good music from the Western part of the country. That part of the region has produced some of the great highlife musicians and producers in Ghana. Uncle C. K Mann, Jewel Ackah, Paapa Yankson, Essiebons, Kofi Bentsil of Western Diamonds fame, Dr. F. Kenya, Anthony Scorpion,Rim Akandoh, Kakaiku, Michael Dwamena and K.K. Kabobo of Onyame Ehu Wo oo fame are names that comes in handy. But how many of our readers know that the man with the velvet voice, Felix Owusu is also a son from the West? During the 2010 annual Oguaa Afahye Open air Jam held at the Baakano, watching this showman performed dawned on us that Felix Owusu was still a force to reckon with. Our feature story today is on a man who chalked 28 years as a Ghanaian Highlife Super Star on March 26th, 2012.

" From a humble beginning in the Twin City of Sekondi Takoradi, Felix Owusu has gone through tough experiences and has succeeded in churning out nine great albums." Writes Sammy Osei in his artist profile for Music of African Origin programme in Accra. Felix began his active musical career with the Takoradi based band called Osabarima, playing alongside guys like Kofi Hanson and Shasha Marley of Maata fame. According to Felix, he had so much love for music that he was already writing music for the band as a young boy but he would not be given a chance till he was subjected to rigirous training in musicianship. During these periods, Felix was packing instruments and serving as an errant boy for the group until he finally had his chance to sing. He then moved to ALOR band where he had more opportunities to sing.

From there, his next stop was at a military band also in Takoradi called Mag 2. Mag 2 was a commercial military band and they toured the country playing live band music at social gatherings and entertaining music lovers of Ghana. At the time, Felix Owusu was singing mostly reggae cover which they called them copyright by then, doing his own renditions of songs from guys such as Jimmy Cliff, Culture, Johnny Nash, Burning Spears, among others. “I was singing reggae like nobody's business. I even thought I was going to be a reggae singer” He said. According to the gentle and down to earth musician, his desire to sing highlife was inspired by his mentor the legendary Pat Thomas. Having been inspired by the man affectionately referred to as “the Golden voice of Africa, Felix Owusu developed an unrelenting zeal for Ghanaian music.He listened intently to several highlife tunes from C.K Mann, Jewel Ackah and several of the giants from the western region, some of whom he later had the opportunity to work with. He then moved from Mag 2 band and joined Sappers International band in Accra, playing alongside such guys like Collins Wood ( now in Denmark), Tommy Sly, among others. He also had a stint with the Western Diamonds band in Takoradi before eventually going solo.

In 1992,Felix Owusu met Daddy Lumba at the Labadi Beach hotel. After a short interaction, the two recorded Felix's first album entitled Vida. From there, he recorded Mensu, E-show me, Forever love, Bra and Woaben. Felix believes E-show me remains his biggest album yet. It carries the very popular Okwantuni and other hit songs. It features Paulina Oduro. That particular album was recorded in London.

Felix Owusu returned to Ghana, last two years after over a decade in the USA. He's currently promoting his latest album: Sika Ye, which has such hit tracks as Come Try Me, Odo Ye De, You See Me featuring Castro, a remix of Woaben featuring US-based Kwame Dollar and Kay Rocks among others. Felix started as a highlife musician and obviously, he is sticking to that genre, “that is my style, I have always been a highlife artiste and will continue to be one,” he said.

Felix Owusu has a Facebook account and he is always sharing christian religious updates which are very inspiring: Our question is: Is Felix Owusu born again and is going to follow the christian religious footsteps of Ofori Amponsah, K.K. Kabobo, Akosua Agyapon, Nana Agyeman aka Gemann, Papa Shee and Lord Kenya who are now working as ministers of God? Is it the end of his Highlife music career?