Entertainment
Abiriw Music Expo: A Resounding Success In Celebrating Ohum Festival
The picturesque town of Abiriw in the Eastern Region of Ghana recently witnessed the climax of its iconic Ohum festival, an ancient tradition celebrated with much pomp and cultural fervour.
This year’s festivities reached new heights with the inclusion of a mega Abiriw Music Expo, curated by the visionary Frank Kwabena Owusu, popularly known as Franky5.
The event, featuring performances by A-list gospel artists, aimed not only to entertain but also to draw investment and spotlight Abiriw’s abundant tourism potential.
Ohum Festival, a cultural cornerstone for the Akuapem and Okere people, holds great significance as it marks the beginning of the harvest season for new farm crops.
The celebration attracts people from diverse backgrounds, including the diaspora, showcasing the rich cultural tapestry of the region.
Following the traditional Durbar of Chiefs and Traditional Leaders, which highlighted the cultural heritage of the Akuapem and Okere people, the Abiriw Music Expo took centre stage to conclude the festivities. Gospel luminaries such as Piesie Esther, Nacee, Mabel Okyere, Empress Gifty, and Joseph Atarah graced the stage, delivering unforgettable performances that left patrons in awe.
In addition to the gospel performances, the expo featured resounding acts by some of the top highlife musicians, adding a diverse musical flavour to the celebration. Franky5, the mastermind behind the music extravaganza, expressed the importance of incorporating a musical concert into the festival celebrations. He highlighted the support received from the chief of Abiriw, granting permission for the annual event, emphasizing the intention to leverage creative arts to attract investment to the fertile land with immense tourism potential.
Frank Kwabena Owusu stated, “We are trying to use creative arts to draw investment to Abiriw because it is fertile land and has so much tourism potential. From the waterfall and other tourism attractions, people must pass by Abiriw for their holidays to enjoy all these goodies I am mentioning.”
The success of the Abiriw Music Expo underscores the community’s commitment to merging tradition with contemporary expressions of culture. By attracting top-tier artists and creating a platform for cultural celebration, the event not only brought joy to the residents but also positioned Abiriw as a destination ripe for investment and tourism.
As the echoes of the music fade away, the legacy of the Abiriw Music Expo lingers, leaving a lasting impression on the hearts of those who attended and setting a promising precedent for future editions. The town of Abiriw has truly demonstrated that cultural festivals can be catalysts for economic growth and community development, with the arts playing a pivotal role in shaping the narrative of a region with immense potential.
By:JSmart Amenuveve
Entertainment
The Keepers Music welcomes new artiste Neyty with debut song ‘Most high God’
The Keepers Music has introduced their newest artiste, Neyty, a powerful singer ready to make an impact.
Her debut song, ‘Most High God’ is a powerful track filled with uplifting rhythms and inspiring lyrics.
The Keepers Music focuses on creating soulful, spirit-filled music, and sees Neyty as a fresh voice with great potential.
They unveiled her as their new artiste alongside the release of the official artwork for ‘Most High God’
In an Interview with The Spectator Neyty describes ‘Most High God’ as a song of praise and adoration inspired by her deep love for honouring God.
‘I love to give glory to God for everything He has done for me,” Neyty shares, highlighting her passion for gospel music’ she added
In the song, Neyty refers to Yahweh as the Most High, drawing listeners into reverence.
Released on October 29, ‘Most High God has already gathered over 8,000 views on YouTube and is now available on all major streaming platforms.
Entertainment
Dr Bawumia launches GMX music streaming app
GMX (Ghana Music Xperience), the latest music streaming innovation, is set to transform the music landscape with its unparalleled focus on Ghanaian music content, discovery, and personalised experiences.
The groundbreaking platform is poised to redefine how music lovers engage with Ghanaian music, both locally and internationally.
GMX will boast of an extensive library of Ghanaian music, ranging from traditional folk to contemporary genres like hiplife and dancehall. The platform’s cutting-edge features include exclusive content, early access to new releases, seamless music search and discovery, personalised playlists, and social media integration.
Speaking at the launch, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Ghana’s Vice President, said, “With our music, we are building a legacy which requires tools and platforms to ensure our artistes and all those who contribute to this vibrant industry receive their due recognition, compensation and rightful place on the global stage.
“We’re in a digital revolution and it is very important we use the tools offered by the digital age to monetise our talents in the Ghanaian music industry. The value of the global economy is in digitalisation and when we say we need to promote our talent, then we need to go digital as that is where the money is.
We need the GMX streaming app for the local empowerment of our industry. If you look at the digital revolution in the world, you’re either a developer of apps or a user. The developers are those who make money and the users pay. So, it is very important to have local ownership of these apps.
The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Andrew Egyapa Mercer, who was present at the launch pronounced GMX as a revolution in the Ghanaian music landscape.
“In Ghana, music is our heartbeat, a channel through which we express our story, tradition and help unite communities. As we launch GMX, it is a celebration of our media heritage and the showcasing of our range of artistes,” he said.
This (GMX) aligns perfectly with the government’s mission to advance the creative arts space. Platforms like GMX will allow us to showcase our culture to the world and contribute significantly to tourism,” he added.
GMX’s unique features among others include, exclusive Ghanaian content including pacesetters from the Gold Coast era to contemporary trailblazers.
The platform will provide early access to new releases, behind-the-scenes footage, artist interviews, and exclusive releases.
There will also be seamless music search and discovery, powered by an intuitive recommendation engine, personalised playlists, curated by experts and powered by advanced AI as well as social media integration, allowing users to share favourite tracks and connect with others.
By Spectator Reporter