Ghanaian artist Adina has said that music lovers should grow to appreciate the highlife genre in order to inspire many performers to perform it.

Adina claims that because she grew up listening to highlife, it comes naturally to her, despite her exploration of other musical genres.

She added her voice to the discussion on uncovering strategies for maintaining highlife when she said to Kwame Dadzie of Joy FM on Showbiz A-Z that, although there are many ways to promote the genre, many performers will continue to pursue it if listeners enjoy it.

“People should accept highlife music when it is released. Many people should contribute to its growth because, in my experience, most Ghanaians follow trends. As a result, if a popular genre emerges, kids would likely promote it through their songs, and media outlets may even wish to encourage it.

Let’s actively spread the word about highlife music. Since most artists out there are just looking for a hit song, the more we promote it, the more appealing or interesting it will be to younger people, encouraging them to want to give it a try. If the industry supports the highlife artists want to pursue in order to become successful, I believe this will inspire them. However, [they will be deterred] if they believe that highlife is only for the elderly and that it won’t be played at events or clubs.

Therefore, I believe that the industry—which includes consumers—must purposefully assist us; after all, they are the individuals who live in the house. It ought to be deliberate. All of us ought to like highlife music, she declared.

Adina
Various tactics have been proposed by other music stakeholders to support the promotion of highlife. According to Drumline Studios’ Justice Oteng, also known as Wei Ye Oteng, music producers can contribute to the preservation of highlife.

He asserts that although artists frequently arrive with production ideas in mind, producers play a critical role in introducing new genres to the public.

“We, the producers, set the pace.” Producers have the authority to establish a schedule and pace because, believe it or not, if I gather ten musicians and deliver them a particular beat, I can be sure they will love it and that, in three to four months, those musicians will release those songs, which we will promote. Trust me when I say this—it becomes a trend. It is how Azonto was created,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Bessa Simons, the president of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), has revealed plans for the organization to inspire highlife musicians.

He claims that starting the next year, MUSIGA will give special rewards to the Telecel Ghana Music Awards winners in the highlife category.

Hitmaker of “Yebewu Nti,” Dada Hafco, who was also a panelist on the show, proposed that musicians would be more inclined to perform highlife if TGMA chose to make the Highlife Song of the Year category the scheme’s highest honor.

Following the news that Ghana’s highlife is being considered an intangible cultural heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), discussions about revitalizing and protecting highlife have returned.

It has also been made necessary by Nigerians’ persistent efforts to bring the Afrobeats movement international recognition. Many supporters of Ghanaian highlife believe that the country’s native music genre is the key to Ghana’s comeback on the global music scene.

“We, the producers, set the pace.” Producers have the authority to establish a schedule and pace because, believe it or not, if I gather ten musicians and deliver them a particular beat, I can be sure they will love it and that, in three to four months, those musicians will release those songs, which we will promote. Trust me when I say this—it becomes a trend. It is how Azonto was created,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Bessa Simons, the president of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), has revealed plans for the organization to inspire highlife musicians.

He claims that starting the next year, MUSIGA will give special rewards to the Telecel Ghana Music Awards winners in the highlife category.

Hitmaker of “Yebewu Nti,” Dada Hafco, who was also a panelist on the show, proposed that musicians would be more inclined to perform highlife if TGMA chose to make the Highlife Song of the Year category the scheme’s highest honor.

Following the news that Ghana’s highlife is being considered an intangible cultural heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), discussions about revitalizing and protecting highlife have returned.

It has also been made necessary by Nigerians’ persistent efforts to bring the Afrobeats movement international recognition. Many supporters of Ghanaian highlife believe that the country’s native music genre is the key to Ghana’s comeback on the global music scene.