SANATU ZAMBANG SAYS NORTHERN GHANA MUSIC NOT MATURED

Let's first ask our selves, who is a musician; A musician is a person who plays a musical instrument or is musically talented. A person who composes, conducts or performs music can also be referred to as a musician. As a musician, one should be able to specialise in any music style, like performing, conducting, singing, composing, song writing, arranging and orchestration of music.

Many northern artist have been in the music scene for more than 10 years, they have achieved less due to the kind of music they do. The worse part is, I sometimes wonder if they really know who a Record Producer and a executive Producer is? Who is a mixing engineer and a beat maker. Know matter how many times a Dj plays your songs, if it's not good, you either end up annoying listeners, good music sells it self, many northern stations don't play Wiyaala songs yet she is conquering Africa. They say " bad news travels fast, than good news " in the music world it's the other way round, good music travels faster than light.

Below are musicians who hail from the northern, upper west and upper east and are doing extraordinary well, not only in Ghana or Africa but the whole world. If you aspire to achieve in music, I suggest you sit up, take a close study of these people who hail from the same place as you and study the kind of music they do and develop yours through theirs. If you are a musician and your target audience is only people living in your neighbourhood then I suggest you go find yourself a career in a different profession.

Fan and Friends; They is a huge difference between friends supporting you and fans supporting you. This I have seen new artist in the northern mistaking their friends as fans. The duty of friends is to stand by at any cost. Fans on the other side are people who love you because of the kind of music you do, even if they don't understand it, they get engaged, they feel you and receive your message loud and clear and above all they want to be like you.

"A native of north eastern Ghana, King Ayisoba started learning the two-string lute, the kologo, as a small child from his traditional healer grandfather. A prodigy, he moved to Accra where, after years of struggle, he was discovered and wound up with a 2006 hit titled “I Want To See You, My Father”. Anomalously, the song was not hip life, highlife or hiphop, but a song in traditional, rural style. Fame and respect in Ghana brought him to the attention of Arnold De Boer, singer and guitarist for the Dutch group The Ex, who subsequently released King Ayisoba’s Modern Ghanaians, a compilation of tracks from Ghanaian releases, and brought him to tour Europe."

Music Message Wise Some northern musicians have been there for longer than one can imagine, but there are still where they where. King Ayisoba came into the music scene not long ago, now the man has achieved so much then any northern music can ever dream of. His song message is so clear and inspiring, well culturally dressed and a very unique voice and style of playing his instruments. King Ayisoba has been on different international platforms and has entertained both white and black people across the globe.

But I don't see that in northern music, their songs are lacking message, their dressing is out of place and their voices very weird when singing. If only they knew who a record producer is? I wonder if they know what a high key and low is really is? They can't play instruments, do they even know that one has to study music very well to be able to play a hit track?... Born as a princess into a royal family of Kingdom of Dagbon, in the Northern Region of Ghana, Gunu has been interested in dancing and music since she was young. She competed in regional and national dance competitions, winning the dance championship for the northern Region and second place in the 1998 National Dance Championship. She took second place in the Hiplife dance championship in 2003, where she met King Ayisoba and Terry Bonchaka, who subsequently become collaborators

Language Style and Groove; Many northern artist don't know how to make their songs appealing, their lyrics are not flexible, their voices not well toned and their style of singing not engaging. Take Sherifa Gunu for example, she sings in both Dagbani and Hausa dialect, her voice is extraordinary, the lyrics heart touching and her vocals amazing. She associated acts are Craig David, Sarkodie, Amakye Dede, R2bees, Efya, Kwabena Kwabena and many more

I don't see this in northern artist, mix tapes upon mix tapes, immature raps that has nothing to do with listeners nor the song, the beats is going up and the rap is going down, there is absolutely no connection whatsoever, they don't even know how to make their local dialect appealing and engaging. Do they even know who a vocal coach is,I doubt it. At least if they had a record producer or sound engineer, things would have been better.

While still a student, Rocky Dawuni burst onto the African reggae scene in the early 1990's as the lead singer of the Ghanaian reggae group, Local Crisis, at the Pan African Music Festival held in the West African country's capital of Accra. In their debut performance, Dawuni's mesmerizing stage presence and powerful songs secured the group hero status. “My first band was an accident,” said Rocky. “In my first year, I met these four guys who were students there and musicians. Everyone was saying, ‘Why are we in the University if we want to be musicians? Why don’t we form a band?’” In 1996 he produced his first album, The Movement, backed by members of Local Crisis and other Ghanaian reggae stars. The Movement became a major success in Ghana with a number of hit singles including “What Goes Around” and “Sugar.” But Dawuni continued to believe that his music could serve as a bridge between Africa and the rest of the world. His first international exposure came through the 1998 Putumayo collection Reggae Around the World, which featured his song "In Ghana," alongside tracks by Lucky Dube, Burning Spear, Ernest Ranglin and others.

Lyrically Wise and Album Purpose Rocky Dawuni is a Grammy nominated Ghanaian singer and songwriter his music is a new spice of reggae and Afro beats. Named African top 10 global ambassadors, His lyrics, song and album arrangements, singing style makes him outstanding, very energetic on stage and very engaging. he began singing in the 1960s and branches of the same tree is his sixth studio album. He has been on different international platforms and has represented Ghana on several musical occasions. Here is the case, every single weekend northern musicians either drop singles or launch an album, yet they are still where they are, what a pity. Their song has no impact to their people. Northern artist need to grow up.

Wiyaala is a brand ambassador for PepsiCo in West Africa, alongside Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage, promoting Pepsi throughout Ghana as the brand looks to grab a larger share of the soft drinks market.She is also the Converse All Stars ambassador for Ghana since 2014. During the first edition of the All Africa Music Awards held on 27 December 2014 in Lagos, Wiyaala won two of the coveted 23.9-carat gold-plated trophies for "The Most Promising Artist in Africa" and "The Revelation of the African Continent". She has been commended by Vodafone for her achievements and hailed as a youth icon and an inspiration for young Ghanaians to strive for success

Appearance and Video Sensitive Wiyaala is another extremely talented northern artist who is breaking boundaries and very soon will conquer Africa. She doesn't fake her appearance, naturally African. She sings in Dagaare, Sisali and English, her voice is something unexplainable, lyrically motivating and engaging. Fashion style adorable, Wiyaala is a VGMA winner, sing, song writer and Recently won best video at the Affrima awards. Her videos are well filmed with beautiful and wonderful concepts, perfectly artistic and very engaging. She writes her songs herself. She has earned praise for her bold an powerful voice and distinguished timbre.

she is the Most Promising Artiste Africa & Revelation of the African Continent @Afrimawards 2014 Best Female Vocal & Songwriter November 15th at the Eko Hotels in Lagos the 2015 edition of the All Africa Music Awards (Afrima) took place. Artiste from other African countries were present. Ghanaian dancehall artiste Stonebwoy and singer Wiyaala were Ghana’s only winners at the 2015 All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) in Lagos, Nigeria Sunday night.

Stonebwoy and Wiyaala, in spite of stiff competition, emerged winners of the ‘Best African Reggae, Ragga & Dancehall’ and WIyaala won ‘Video of the Year’ respectively. Wiyaala is not new to the AFRIMAs. In 2014, Wiyaala, born Noella Wiyaaka, swept two awards at the maiden edition of the awards also held in Lagos, Nigeria. She received two 23.9-carat gold-plated trophies for ‘The Most Promising Artiste in Africa’ and ‘The Revelation of the African Continent’ awards.

Blakk Rasta was born Monday, 2nd September 1974, in Tamale in the Northern part of Ghana, West Africa. He was born to devout Ahmadi-Moslem parents.As a growing youth in the slums of Moshie-Zongo and Aboabo, Blakk Rasta (born ABUBAKAR AHMED)Music was the last thing to Blakk Rasta though he enjoyed listening to very popular slow music. The ghetto chap wrote several plays, directed and acted some of them. He writes novels too and won several writing competitions.Blakk Rasta started trying to write his own lyrics. The first one he wrote was ‘Keep on Rockin’ / I & I Rastas. His first album, “Rasta shrine” came out in April 2000. It was a smash hit with singles like ‘Afreeka swit’, and “Keep on Rockin’ / I & I Rastas” In 2002 July, ‘More Fyah’ was released and the single ‘ Congo Bongo’ was voted as the best reggae song of the year 2003 at the Ghana Music Awards. Another award was won in 2009 called the National Award for Cultural Excellence (Ghana).

Blakk Rasta does Reggae music pouring out conscious lyrics about Blackness, Rasta and spiritual love. Sometimes the music has some Jamaican influences and touches. The music is done in English, Jamaican Patois and some African languages. Live instruments are used in recording Blakk Rasta’s Reggae. Harmonies are never compromised. Blakk Rasta loves female harmonies backed by powerful harmonies from the horn family. Roots reggae is the backbone of Blakk Rasta’s music though a few dancehall vibes and toasts come flinging in. Dub poetry is another aspect of his music. People who will not enjoy Blakk Rasta's music are those who hate Black consciousness and social justice.

In 2009 Blakk Rasta's Barack Obama song brought the American President to Ghana for his first official visit of that part of Africa. He met with Blakk Rasta and they exchanged pleasantries over dinner. Blakk Rasta's Barack Obama song was the only song endorsed by the President during and after his campaign. This was the first ever song for Barack Obama the world over (first released November 2007).

For our northern artist, the least said about their videos the better, and some even lie to their fans that they spent 5 thousand dollars and when you watch the video, your heart begins to bleed. Horrible videos they shoot, terrible editing, for location is better I end it. Hopefully will definitely give guide lines as to who, why and when to shoot a music video.