Ghanaian songstress, Efya, has recounted her struggles during when she was coming up as a mainstream musician and the things she did to get where she is now.
Recounting some of her struggles as an up-and-coming artist, she performed at more than 15 shows for free in order to gain traction and fans in the Nigerian music industry.
While advising young and up-and-coming musicians on Twitter space, the multiple-award-winning artiste revealed that she used the time she got off from her University days to fly herself to Lagos to perform for free.
When I was in the University and I get some time off, I used to fly myself to Lagos. During the time that I had established myself in Ghana, after about my third or fourth award, I went to Lagos and I did at least 15 shows for free. Sometimes you have to do the work. It’s not easy,” she said.
Asked how an upcoming act can penetrate the music scene in the country, Efya said the person will have to confidently avail himself or herself at events and showcase their talent.
“How do you penetrate the system? You have to put yourself in a place where you can be seen. There were times I used to go to, there was this thing they used to call Industry Night in Nigeria. I got there, people were singing, it was open mic, I went there and I told them I can sing. I was about probably 19 or 20. I go spoil there. The people took me on a tour and I went to at least 5 states in Nigeria.
“And that’s how I started making up by fan base in Nigeria. So don’t wait for anybody. And sometimes too when you come into a new place people don’t want to help you. So, pick up your mic, I’m not saying you should go {and} stand by the roadside. There are a lot of different places here that you can do your open mic stuff,” she said.
The vocal powerhouse continued that, new artistes should not relax when they have one or two popular songs.
“So, when you are new and you are upcoming don’t feel like, you’ve got 1 or 2 hit songs out and you got to stop working now. No! When you get the hit, that’s when you keep going. That’s when you have to speed up.”
When that happens, you go hard like never before because let me tell you something I have learned over time, there are some opportunities that will come over and over, but there are some opportunities that you will never get again and if you don’t grab that opportunity, you are going to lose something that maybe is going to elevate you. And nobody can stop you if you are determined. Especially when you want this like nothing else,” she stressed.
Efya further entreated new acts in the music industry to create a strategy for their career and be committed to it.
“What do you need? You need a plan, dedication to commit to the plan that you have set for yourself. Now do not deter from this plan because of societal strains on your mind,” she said.
