Arguably most popularly known for her feature on ‘Skin Tight’ with Banku music pioneer, Mr Eazi, Efya has solidified herself as an Afro-soul/pop musician in Africa, having collaborated with big names on the continent including Tiwa Savage, Ogranya, Oxlade, Ghanaian rap giant, Sakordie and many more.
Ghanaian musician, songwriter and actress, Jane Awindor popularly known as Efya, had a chat with DigiMillennials to talk about being a woman in music, the journey thus far and behind-the-scenes insight of her new project ‘No More Tears’ the EP.
How fulfilling would you say music has been for you through the years?
I think for me, because of what music means to me, it becomes more than what everybody thinks it is for them, because music is a lifeline and not just a way to become popular or be a celebrity. But to help me understand my purpose in life and fulfill it and attain the levels that I want. So for me, music is more of what it is to me than what it is to others.
“Part of growing up was for me to realize I had to learn to say no, especially as a very loving person”
Was music always the plan right from your childhood? Did you always want to do music?
No, I wanted to be a film director like my parents. My mother is the first camerawoman in the country (Ghana). I was born into a film company and basically grew up in a film school. I started editing when I was 16. Now, I edit and direct the videos with any person I work with and I co-produce all my music.
So how did music happen?
Music came in because I entered a competition that was being held where I used to edit. During the summer vacations before we traveled abroad, my mother would have us work in the company for a couple of months. You know you have three months during the summer vacation. We would work one of those months in my mother’s company before we went on vacation.
So, I was editing and working and I found out some of the people my mom knows from the film company (Ghana Films) were having a competition about singing right next to the hotel that my mom’s editing suite was in. So, I checked it out and did a cover of a Whitney Houston song. I went there, did my thing, was picked, made it to the final hundred, then final ten, final five and then final three.
We were signed to a girls group. This was the group of the girl that came first then me, and the other girl and since then, we’ve just been making music.
Where did the idea for No More Tears EP come from?
It’s a testament to when everybody approaches the part of life where they feel they are matured enough to say no to bullshit. This is because part of growing up was for me to realize I had to learn to say no, especially as a very loving person. I am a very loving and kind person but you realize you can’t go through life like that because some people would teach you lessons and you have to learn them.
As I learned them, I made it into music to say “no more tears”. So No More Tears means, no more bulllshit, no more fuckery, no more depression, no more misunderstanding of what it is I’m trying to tell you, no more half laugh, no more fake love – which is very very important, especially for us musicians. Because when you’re popular and outstanding and magical, you get people that come into your life and pretend that they actually love you but they don’t. They just want to be around you.
Did a particular experience trigger this?
Yes, yes! I got my heart broken and I said ‘no more tears’. Breakfast would always show you the way.
Of all the tracks, which would you say was the most demanding to create?
I wrote all the songs and it was in the spur of the moment. I had about a hundred and fifty songs to pick from. I didn’t know what song to pick, so I went to Lagos, locked myself in a hotel, made a couple of songs and picked four of them for the EP.
To resonate with the EP, you need to admit some things to yourself and you know, admitting things to yourself when you’re going through difficulty is not easy and it’s okay.
It doesn’t have to resonate with everyone. If it resonates with you, I’m grateful I said my truth and my truth resonates with you and I’m not shy of that. I’m not trying to impress anybody.
There are no features on the project. Was that intentional?
Yes. Honestly, I thought about features but then I was like if these people feature and it doesn’t resonate with them?
You often use some Yoruba words and you did on your recent project. What do you think about cultural exchange in music generally?
The cultural exchange between the Ghanianians and Nigerians is becoming beautiful and we should just explore it more and more so we can tap into the best mode of our languages. If we can, we would have Ghanianians singing Yoruba and Yorubas singing Ghanaian songs and explore into the language where Afrobeats will thrive and even if you don’t understand the language you would just vibe. Our language is our magic. We have what they don’t have, our language, our rhythm, our vibe.
Have you ever done a show in Canada?
when I was younger, yes but recently, no. I’ll love to come some time though.
What plans should your fans look forward to this year from you?
The music is out, the video for Oluwa is out, so please patronize it, push it, to your family and friends. Let everybody know. The more we go, the more people we get on the platform because I need to know what people feel about the music so we can discuss it. I’d like to know what the music feels like for everybody.
If "Hermother's Daughter" isn't talking about something she is passionate about, then she's writing it. She is always in her head space, majorly thinking about what to cook or bake (to be frank, eat).
