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‘Being a wife and a mum has give me a totally new perspective on life’
‘Being a wife and a mum has given me a totally new perspective on life’
Rebecca Akosua Acheampomaa Acheampong, better known to her legions of fans as Becca, is one of Ghana’s most popular musical artists as well as being an actress and successful businesswoman – her beauty salon Kora Spa opened in Accra in May last year. Ahead of the release of her new album on Zylofon Music, Becca talks to FLYafrica about how getting married and having her first child have changed her life and her pride at having some of music’s biggest stars help mark her 10 years as a recording artist.
Q. You’ve been in the music business for 12 years now, but I saw on your Instagram page that you’ve watched yourself ‘grow like never before’ this year? What happened?
A: In 2018 I got married [to Nigerian entrepreneur and manager Daniel Oluwa Tobi Sanni] and we wanted to start a family. In early 2019 I became a mother. These two distinct experiences have totally given me a new perspective to life.
Q. You like to diversify. As well as the music, you act and have set up Kora Spa in the last year. What inspired you to set up the spa and what has the experience of running a business been like?
A. Beauty and hospitality have always been passions of mine. Setting up Kora Spa is all part of the Becca five-year expansion plan. Running a business is something I have been doing for the past 12 years, but dabbling into a new business comes with new experiences, from micro management, customer acquisition, brand visibility to accounting.
Q. I saw a recent photo shoot of you and Shatta Wale. Are you collaborating on some new music?
A. I released a new song on 5 July titled ‘Driving Licence’ and it features Shatta Wale. It’s a build-up to my upcoming album, scheduled for release later in the year.
Q. You competed in school music competitions when you were young. What do you remember about that time?
A. It was just so much fun. There was no pressure whatsoever. I remember trying to sing like TLC and Destiny’s Child.
Q. You’ve won a huge number of awards for your music. Is there one that means the most to you?
A. Every award comes with its own emotion, they all mean the same to me. We go through different experiences producing and promoting the records, so the biggest satisfaction is when people actually enjoy the music. An award is a piece of memorabilia that helps you sometimes recall and appreciate the physical experiences of making the record.
Q. In your music you collaborate with traditional Ghanaian musicians as well as upcoming stars. Is it important to you to connect different generations in music?
A. Music is like chemical combinations – you can either stand alone and survive as an ‘element’ or you combine with other elements to form something more sustainable, useful or enjoyable by human beings. If you want to go fast in life, go alone. But if you want to go far, go with someone – that’s the power of collaboration.
Q. One of your most popular songs is ‘African Woman’. What message were you trying to put across in that song and how proud are you of your heritage?
A. I am a very proud and well brought up Asante woman. I am a strong feminist and advocate for the girl child. ‘African Woman’ was a song I did thinking about myself and every woman out there that is putting in the work daily to make this continent a beautiful and habitable place to leave. The record was done in full recognition and appreciation of the salt of the land – women.
Q. To mark your 10th anniversary as a recording star, you held a concert to thank your fans. What do your fans mean to you and how pleasing was it to have so many stars celebrate with you at that event?
A. It was a memorable night to mark a significant milestone and I was lucky to have my colleagues take time out of their business schedules to support me. Mzvee, Shatta Wale, StoneBwoy, Sarkodie, Edem, Kidi, Kuame Eugene, Wizkid, Niniola, Wande Coal, Mr. Eazi, DJ Spinall, Ice Prince, MI, Patoranking, R2Bees, VIP, Shatta Michy, Akwaboah, KwabenaKwabena, Joyce Blessing, RoyalChris and many more got involved.My fans mean everything to me.They have been behind the brandfor over a decade and still waxingstronger with their love and support.I can’t thank them enough. They are called BeccaHearts.
Q. You give back time to help yourcommunity. Can you tell me moreabout the work you do?
A. I have an initiativecalled the Becca HeartsFoundation [set upin partnership with Touching the Lives of Girls FoundationInternational, theGhana Ministry of Education and ZylofonMedia]. The primaryaim of this initiative isto advocate, educate,fund, rehabilitate andpromote the girl child. Thesecondary aim, however, isto provide sensitisation andliteracy for the boy child to bemore receptive, respectful andaccommodating of the girl child,with the large aim of building senseof equal gender treatment andparticipation at all levels.
PLAN
Becca is building her music and business profile
