Renowned highlife artist Ofori Amponsah has opened up about his rise to stardom in Ghana’s music industry.
Speaking in an interview posted on X with Berla Mundi on the Day Show he disclosed how he frequently roamed the streets, searching for a producer to whom he could pitch his songs.
Ofori Amponsah shared a key moment in his journey when, after school one day in Lapaz, he met a CD seller during his search for a producer and the seller told him that the legendary Daddy Lumba was looking for upcoming talents to mentor.
“That was the last day, I just wanted to give up because I was looking for about 4 years trying to get somebody to listen to my songs. When I got to that place and I asked the guy do you produce, he said no and asked if I have a song and I said yes”.
“So, he listened to the songs and started nodding his head and said these songs are great. I think Daddy Lumba is searching for young guys to groom. So that guy was my breakthrough” he shared.
He noted that two days after hearing about the opportunity, he met legendary highlife artist Daddy Lumba who was impressed by his songs and rewarded him with GHC5000 in cash, presented in a brown envelope, back in 1993.
“I couldn’t meet him the first day so I went the next day and met him and he said are you Ofori Amponsah and I said yes. And he said you this small boy sang this song. So, he went in and came back with an envelope with GHC5000 those days and he said ‘you are a star’ he emphasized.
Although the meeting with Daddy Lumba seemed like a breakthrough, Ofori Amponsah revealed that it took five more years for his career to advance.
He explained that this delay was due to Daddy Lumba temporarily stepping away from music production, which stalled their collaboration.
