Written By: Akua Afram—AKWAABA! My name is Akua Afram and I'm a freelance music consultant. After working in various music and corporate organisations I finally decided to go alone. From a very young age, I have always wanted to run my own business particularly in music - as that was my favourite subject. After studying BA (Hons) Media Practices, I decided to follow my destined path in Music. However, my path has been very challenging and still is. To be frank if this journey was made any easier, I wouldn't have learnt anything. Your struggle can determine your direction in how you handle and approach things. Here's my story...Music has been a strong subject in my life, everyone who knows me, the first thing they would associate with me - music. Even though I was born and bred in London Ghana remains a place that I would eventually would like to live in my later years. Throughout my childhood, I have always had the hunger to learn about my heritage as I have a very special family and Iknow it sounds cliché felt the music spoke to me and I was so into it - E.T. Mensah, Pat Thomas, Daddy Lumba, Reggie Rockstone I could go on! During school and college I always made sure I participated in a choir because I like to sing, school drama and dance productions (must admit I liked being in the spotlight! :) Till this day I still make my mum feel bad for not taking me to stage school.
Fast forward to my 20's, I've probably done every role under the sun in the music industry which is why I decided to go alone now, look the economical state it's a perfect opportunity. My experience varies from music publishing, A&R, licensing, events to artist management and it's time capitalised on that. I've triumphed, endured episodes of disappointment and bitterness, been burnt, loads of fun, being undermined, underpaid, and having a sense of achievement. The music industry is tough especially to make it as a black woman, there's not much black female professionals I can count on one hand and that even includes me! Plus it's competitive, and because it's a male orientated industry you have to be thick-skinned and not tolerate any nonsense. There are nice people, thats who I surround myself with anyway so I can build on relationships and extend my network.
Right now I'm teaching Music Business with fellow UK Ghanaian and music journalist/broadcaster Lawrence Lartey at socialenterprise Music4Good: wwww.music4good.co.uk. On the management team of MPHO and setting up shop for branding (consulting brands how to use music). It doesn't only stop in the UK but I also want to bring my knowledge and experience to Ghana and to other international markets. They are really lacking young professionals who have expertise in music business knowledge and I think they need to be more educated about it. They're too old school and need to highlight to artists how to have a better understanding of the industry particularly from a business scope. Maybe I should book a flight and be a walking advertisement for enforcing music licensing for COSGA (Ghana's Copyright body)!
One of my goals is to DJ at the end of this year or next year. I'm practising and before you know it I could be Ghana's 1st female DJ, keep tuned! Follow me, check my links below:
www.musicgirlhitsjanblues.blogspot.com and www.twitter.com/AriesMusic.
