We Need To Resurrect Our Dying Highlife Music - Rex Omar

Veteran highlife musician Mr. Rex Owusu Marfo, known in the music industry as Rex Omar, has disclosed his intention to resurrect the seemingly dying highlife music in Ghana.

The ‘’ABIBA’’ hit maker stated on OTEC FM’S entertainment show, "Anokye krom" that believes highlife will still live and not die as it has been speculated by seasoned industry players.

He mentioned indigenous Ghanaian types music such as Adowa, Asikyi Odɔnsun, Apatampa, Kwaw, Agbadza and Bɔbɔɔbɔ among others were present but colonial masters preferred to name them as highlife.

To ensure that highlife music survives, the Ghana Music Right Owners (GHAMRO) Chairman has promised to release a track every month in order to keep the highlife genre alive starting from this month April.

“I will be releasing singles of highlife songs every month to show my commitment to revive the highlife music in the country. I am trying to redefine highlife. Nobody can deny the fact that highlife emanated from Ghana. All highlife musicians who are giving up should go back to the studios and work to help resurrect the brand, there is a saying that, to enforce something you must lead by example, so to show my commitment, I will release my first single this year on April 16, titled "enhyira,’’ he revealed.

“Highlife started in Ghana but was not being played by Ghanaians currently. It was appreciated by other people in different countries. Osibisa was not known as a highlife band even though most of their songs were highlife songs. Building a brand is very difficult. The highlife brand has been with us for ages and it’s important we embrace it,” Rex Omar stressed.

The highlife general noted that the current generation of musicians are unaware they are doing highlife so they have given it different names. This according to Rex Omar shows that Ghana music is losing its identity and there is an urgent need to redefine highlife.