Celebrated highlife musician Ofori Amponsah has shared his inspiring journey to stardom in Ghana’s music industry. In a recent interview on the Day Show with Berla Mundi, he recounted his relentless search for a producer to showcase his songs.
Ofori shared a pivotal moment when, one day in Lapaz after school, he met a CD seller who informed him about an opportunity with the legendary Daddy Lumba, who was looking to mentor new talent.
“I was in school, and after classes, I would take my CDs and go around, visiting a CD shop in Lapaz. I had been trying for about four years to find someone who would listen to my music,” he explained.
Describing his breakthrough, he said, “I asked the guy if he produced music, but he said no.
However, when I told him I had songs, he listened and nodded, saying they were great. He mentioned that Daddy Lumba was searching for young talents, and that was my big break.”
After just two days, he met Daddy Lumba, who praised his music and handed him GH₵5,000 in a brown envelope back in 1993. “He told me, ‘You are a star,’” Ofori Amponsah recalled.
Despite this initial success, Ofori Amponsah revealed that it took him five more years to release his music.
“There was a problem; Daddy Lumba eventually gave up on production, which delayed our collaboration. During that time, I was also expelled from school for pursuing music, leaving me on the streets for about four years.”
He credits divine intervention for the eventual release of his songs. His first collaboration with Daddy Lumba was the track “Anti Atta,” which paved the way for his debut album, “Asew.”
