A new song by Empress Gifty Osei, ‘Ebibinwom,’ has engendered discourses among music fans and analysts.
The song, a mass departure from the usual highlife and reggae – induced gospel songs produced by Ghanaian musicians, is themed on God’s ability to save one from their strife and woes.
‘Ebibinwom’ is a medley of songs originally sung by Spiritual Churches such as Musama Disco Christo Church, The Twelve Apostles Church, The Brotherhood Church, The Methodist Church, among others.
A typical ‘ebibinwom’ employs traditional musical instruments like dondo (the hour-glass drum), castanets, atumpan and clappers. However, some singers now add western musical instruments like keyboard, guitars, trumpets and drum kit.
According to Gifty, she decided to move away from the modern style of music because she believed Gospel music could be performed with traditional Ghanaian rhythms too.
“There are a lot old rhythms in Ghana that have not been well utilised by us. So I decided to do something different,” she said.
Responding to earlier reports that some spiritual churches like Musama and Nankaba churches were not happy she took their songs without their consent, she said the songs do not belong to anyone.
“I have heard a lot about them. I hear they are angry. But they don’t have to be angry. My grandmother is a prophetess in a spiritual church. My mum and I even used to attend the church. These are very old songs. A lot of churches sing them. No single church owns ‘ebibinwom’,” she told Citi Showbiz.
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By: Kwame Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana