GHANAIAN singer Safo Newman has revealed that having a breakout song doesn't mean the rest will fall into place on its own because the hard work really starts after the breakthrough.
According to the Akokoa singer, a big song only builds the base for an artiste's career, but keeping that success going takes constant effort.
He said budding artistes could easily feel pressured or even mocked when their next songs don't get the same attention as their first smash record, but noted that this was just part of the journey.
“A hit is a completion of the foundation, sort of. You have to build on it and that is also huge work. The work is characterised by ups and downs.
“The brick courses will not spring up automatically once the foundation is complete.
You have to put in the effort to keep building, improving and pushing forward.
“Every new project requires the same commitment because success does not continue on its own simply because you have had a hit. You have to keep working to maintain the momentum and build something lasting,” he explained.
Support after Akokoa
When his song Akokoa became popular, several big names in the music industry showed support for the young artiste, with Sarkodie among those who rallied behind him.
Looking back, Safo Newman said that support was important because his main objective was to get the message of the song to as many people as possible.
“It meant a lot. The aim was to reach people with a message and big names have huge followings.
“The message of Akokoa reached a large number of people much faster because these big names were in the picture.
“Their support helped the song travel far and allowed the message to get to people who may not have come across my music at that stage. So, in that sense, their support was very important to me,” he said in a recent interview with the Daily Graphic.
There was also speculation at the time about a possible collaboration between Safo Newman and Sarkodie, particularly a remix of Akokoa.
However, Safo Newman said Sarkodie had never officially announced a feature on the song, explaining that the rapper had suggested that if they ever worked together, it would be on a new song rather than an ‘Akokoa’ remix.
He also said he was not in a position to judge whether people who initially showed interest in his career were genuinely trying to help or simply responding to the buzz around ‘Akokoa’.
According to him, circumstances can change and affect people's ability to continue offering support.
Learning to walk alone
While some young artistes enjoy continued backing from established musicians after a breakthrough, Safo Newman believes young artistes must also learn to make some moves on their own.
He likened the experience to a child learning to walk, saying constant support could prevent a young artiste from developing his or her own identity.
“Like a child learning how to walk, your hand should not be held through every step you make. Sometimes, you have to be left alone to take some of those steps yourself.
That is how you discover your unique way of walking. From time to time, I receive support from some of them, but not for every move I make and I think that is normal,” he noted.
Attention comes and goes
In Safo Newman’s opinion, up-and-coming artistes should also understand that every song or project will not attract the same level of attention.
“Attention will not be constant for every work you put out. That is very normal for every creator. More oranges are consumed than lemons, but both come from the same creator.
One may receive more attention than the other, but that does not make the other any less valuable,” he added.
A new chapter for highlife
Safo Newman sees himself playing a role in the next chapter of highlife.
He said his music draws from different sounds, while still allowing him to connect with the genre and its rich heritage.
“Some of my works have highlife influences, so I consider myself one of those who will contribute to the new phase of the genre.
I see it as having a place in today’s music, and I want my music to be part of that journey while still respecting the roots of Highlife,” he said.
He, however, trusts the music style will continue to evolve as up-and-coming musicians are exposed to sounds from different parts of the world.
“I see more foreign influence on highlife because music from all over the world is easily accessible nowadays. The music you listen to can influence how you compose.
“AI-generated music will also change our Highlife sound if we become dependent on it.
I’ll embrace change, but I will also continue to compose traditional highlife, as I did with my current song, ‘Medo Wo Bebree’,” he stated.
