Ghana’s Becca lands CNN feature

African Voices Changemakers celebrates the achievements of Africans in various spheres such as travel, fashion, art, music, technology and architecture. It runs in association with Nigerian telco Glo.

Speaking to hostess Atit Okpo, the musician touched on a number of issues including the unique challenges she faces as a female artist working in a male-dominated field, her charity work and her decision to quit music as a full-time career this year.

On COVID-19 and how it has affected her activities, Becca conceded that like other artists around the world she has also felt the adverse effects of the pandemic. It led her to record 'Overcome', a song paying homage to frontline health workers, with proceeds from that track going to Ghana’s national COVID-19 fund. She has also supported government relief efforts by providing hot meals, toiletries and hand sanitisers to affected individuals.

Speaking further on her humanitarian efforts, the 36 year old revealed that through the Becca Hearts Foundation, which she set up in 2016, she had successfully embarked on a menstrual hygiene project to educate and donate sanitary towels to more than 100 000 girls. On what other projects her NGO is focussing on, the 'Yes I Do' singer noted maternal mortality, saying that her foundation has funded CT scans for more than 150 000 beneficiaries to date.

Becca also spoke about her upcoming music releases, saying that her fourth and final album is due later this year. This is to enable her to focus on other interests including real estate and a cosmetic line, she said. Becca clarified that she would still be involved in music but less actively: "I’m always going to do music. However, I’m not going to be actively recording in the studio at 5am and all that."

Becca said her upcoming album would consist exclusively of female musicians and highlight undiscovered acts. "It’s going to be a strong album," she said.

Asked what performing in her native language of Twi means to her, Becca said: "I’m Ghanaian before anything else, I’m African before anything else. I want to be able to sell Ghana to the rest of the world. The beauty about music is that it is a universal language, so irrespective of the language I speak, somehow, it communicates."

Finally, on her experiences as a female musician, Becca said: "Being a woman in this industry is sometimes really tough. If I have been able to do it, you [upcoming female artist] can do it too."