Abrewa Nana
Encyclopedia
Abrewa Nana is a Ghanaian singer, songwriter, dancer, and former Idol series judge.
Nana's parents are Isaac Dakwa and Juliana Blankson. The name 'Abrewa' means 'Grandmother' in Akan
, her language; Nana later adopted this as a stagename, partly because she had been named after her grandmother. Raised mostly by her single mother, Nana attended primary school In Accra
and Aggrey Memorial Senior High School
, before studying Business Accounting at the Takoradi polytechnic
. As a teenager, she idolized Mariah Carey
and Aaliyah
, but was introduced to hiplife - a combination of hip hop
and African Highlife - as a student in polytechnic, and began to compose her own lyrics.
Following the recording of her demo
, Nana became a favourite among radio DJ's, and her collaboration with Sass Squad Tuma received huge airplay . However, it was her debut album Sagoa in 2000 that was to launch her to national fame, and she earned three nominations at the Ghana Music Awards for Female Artiste of the Year, Rap Song of the Year and New Artiste of the Year. In 2001, Nana won an award for Hip-Life Song of the Year, and was named Best Female Vocalist in 2002.
The same year, Nana released her second album African Girl to critical acclaim, and in 2003, she was named Best Female Artiste of the Year at the Ghana Music Awards UK. Her third album Maba followed in 2004, and she is currently working on a new album. Nana is also a dancer, and famous for her heavily choreographed videos.
In 2007, it was announced that Nana would be a judge on Idols West Africa
, alongside Nigerian Dede Mabiaku and American
Dan Foster; at twenty-seven, she was one of the youngest judges in Idols history. Although the producers of the show were determined to portray her as the 'nice one', Nana was determined to "be myself". The show was a ratings success, and made Nana popular outside Ghana. Apart from being the only female judge, she was well known for her catchphrase "It doesn't work for me."
Nana has since used her position to criticise local DJ's who favour foreign artistes over African performers, and has spoken of the difficulty Ghanaians face when breaking into the music industry, including payola
.
Nana's parents are Isaac Dakwa and Juliana Blankson. The name 'Abrewa' means 'Grandmother' in Akan
Akan language
Akan, also known as Twi and Fante, is an Akan language that is the principal native language of Ghana, spoken over much of the southern half of that country, by about 52% of the population, and to a lesser extent across the border in eastern Côte d'Ivoire...
, her language; Nana later adopted this as a stagename, partly because she had been named after her grandmother. Raised mostly by her single mother, Nana attended primary school In Accra
Accra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
and Aggrey Memorial Senior High School
Aggrey Memorial A.M.E. Zion Senior High School
Aggrey Memorial A.M.E. Zion senior high Schoolis a publicly supported Coeducational senior high school in Cape Coast, Ghana. It provides students in forms 1 through 4 a rigorous preparatory education with the aim of successfully passing the WASSCE. The school has distinguished itself as a leading...
, before studying Business Accounting at the Takoradi polytechnic
Institute of technology
Institute of technology is a designation employed in a wide range of learning institutions awarding different types of degrees and operating often at variable levels of the educational system...
. As a teenager, she idolized Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
and Aaliyah
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton , who performed under the mononym Aaliyah , was an American R&B recording artist, actress and model. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of 10, she appeared on the television show Star Search and performed in concert alongside...
, but was introduced to hiplife - a combination of hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
and African Highlife - as a student in polytechnic, and began to compose her own lyrics.
Following the recording of her demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
, Nana became a favourite among radio DJ's, and her collaboration with Sass Squad Tuma received huge airplay . However, it was her debut album Sagoa in 2000 that was to launch her to national fame, and she earned three nominations at the Ghana Music Awards for Female Artiste of the Year, Rap Song of the Year and New Artiste of the Year. In 2001, Nana won an award for Hip-Life Song of the Year, and was named Best Female Vocalist in 2002.
The same year, Nana released her second album African Girl to critical acclaim, and in 2003, she was named Best Female Artiste of the Year at the Ghana Music Awards UK. Her third album Maba followed in 2004, and she is currently working on a new album. Nana is also a dancer, and famous for her heavily choreographed videos.
In 2007, it was announced that Nana would be a judge on Idols West Africa
Idols West Africa
Idols West Africa is the West African version of the Idol series franchise. Based in Nigeria, it is a talent contest to find a recording artiste, and aired on M-Net in 2007. Like the Pan-Arab entry to the series, the show incorporated countries throughout the West African region.-Season 1:The show...
, alongside Nigerian Dede Mabiaku and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Dan Foster; at twenty-seven, she was one of the youngest judges in Idols history. Although the producers of the show were determined to portray her as the 'nice one', Nana was determined to "be myself". The show was a ratings success, and made Nana popular outside Ghana. Apart from being the only female judge, she was well known for her catchphrase "It doesn't work for me."
Nana has since used her position to criticise local DJ's who favour foreign artistes over African performers, and has spoken of the difficulty Ghanaians face when breaking into the music industry, including payola
Payola
Payola, in the American music industry, is the illegal practice of payment or other inducement by record companies for the broadcast of recordings on music radio, in which the song is presented as being part of the normal day's broadcast. Under U.S...
.