Ghana Vis a Vis selects FRA! and Kyekyeku for Spain

The bands FRA! and Kyekyeku & Ghanalogue Highlife have emerged the winners of the project, which began in January when a call for applications was made.

It was the product of a collaboration involving the Spanish institution Casa Africa, the Musicians Union of Ghana, the Ghanaian government through its Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the Spanish embassy in Accra and the Ghanaian embassy in Madrid.

The project intends to increase knowledge of African music in Spain. To that end, it has held similar events in other countries including Senegal, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Cape Verde, Tanzania, South Africa and Ethiopia. Senegal has been visited by the Vis a Vis team twice.

Following the call for applications, a group of 12 was selected from 65 applications and musical performances given by the selected bands to a group of Spanish promoters.

The chosen 12 were Della Hayes and her Women of Colour, FRA!, Fokn Bois, Gyatabuom and the Lions, Kakatsitsi, Yibor Afric Band, King Ayisoba, Lamisi, Elom, Soulstreet band, Weku Kronkron Band and Kyekyeku & Ghanalogue Highlife. Two of these bands have now been chosen to play at festivals in the European country.

Kyekyeku & Ghanalogue Highlife plays a fusion of Ghanaian highlife and Afrofunk. The band, as led by Ghanaian guitarist and singer Kyekyeku, says its music is “a celebration of Ghana’s music heritage of a bygone era and yet a salutation to the evolution of modern trends”.

Its co-winning band FRA! released its first album last year, two years after finding some success with its debut single ‘Dumsor’. Both bands are well regarded for their live performances and have collaborated in the past.

Speaking about the quality of Ghana Vis a Vis, the head of culture and education at Casa Africa, Juan Jaime, said the “spectacular production set up by the Ghanaian government has made the 10 edition of Vis a Vis one of the best organised ever”.