My kids can do music in US, not Ghana – Felix Owusu
Felix Owusu, once a household name when it comes to highlife music in Ghana has said he will rather like his kids to do music in the US than Ghana because of what he terms, the hustle the Ghanaian music system holds.
Felix who has been away in Atlanta, USA for several years now was speaking on Radio Gold Saturday.
He was emphatic that the challenges musicians go through in Ghana is so debilitating and it will be difficult for his kids to do music in Ghana. The US market, he believes, offers a better option.
He does not even want them to take up music professionally, but if they decide to pursue that then they should look outside Ghana.
“Not to say professionally but as part-time thing, unless they want to sing outside but Ghana, no...maybe [things will] change. I am not saying to be a musician in Ghana is bad but the hustle they have to go through is too hectic. I don't want to see any of my kids go through that,” he said.
“I don't want them to play music full-time...even if they want to be musicians, I want them to start playing music from the States because it should be easy for them to penetrate there than to start from here,” he emphasized.
Felix is blessed with three boys, Dennis, 20; Captain, 8; and Bo, 6.
He thought it rather unfortunate to see most of the highlife musicians quit the industry, but said he is back for good.
He attributed the apparent demise of Ghanaian highlife to what he says are the copying nature of Ghanaian musicians.
He said what has made it difficult for Ghanaian music to break it on the international market is our musicians' desire to copy, claiming now everybody wants to be like 50 Cent and Akon.
"How can you buy a car from America, remove the engine, then put a Ghanaian engine in it and sell it back to them?” he quizzed.
With 30 years experience in highlife music playing for several bands including Osabarima, Alor, Mag 2, Sappers and Western Diamonds, Felix says he is back with a new album, Sika Ye.