‘Obuasi Ankaa’ points the way for Nana Romeo
The alleys of Agona Asamang in the Ashanti Region are a world away from the brightly-lit streets
of New Jersey in the United States but a musical dream nurtured by singer Nana Romeo in that Ashanti town several years back has started to bloom in his adopted American base. On his newly-released six-track ‘Obuasi Ankaa’ album, Nana Romeo mostly sings in perfect Twi to accentuate his real roots but his rhythm patterns, vocal inflections and overall swag point to a man obviously imbued with crisp, new ideas.
The six tracks on the album are ‘Bronya’, ‘Happy Birthday’ (Dancehall), ‘Happy Birthday’ (Highlife), ‘Owuo’ and ‘Obaatan.’
Nana Romeo appreciates what originality means so though he tells stories familiar in narration to Ghanaian listeners, he offers them with a passion that can only be his.
He has been a joyful man lately because his album is proof of how he seriously wants to push himself to realise his many-sided artistic attributes.
Before leaving Ghana to settle in the United States, Nana Romeo also dabbled in acting. He was a member of the Daakye Drama Group and played roles alongside names such as Kofi ‘Ajoss’ Kyeremateng and Beatrice ‘Kyeiwaa’ Mensah.
He also had bit roles in the popular ‘Taxi Driver’ television series.
Music, however, has always been his overriding ambition.
The album’s title track makes fond reference to the cherished sweet orange specie from Obuasi in the Ashanti Region and Nana Romeo compares his lover to one of those oranges.
There’s good guitar playing on all the tracks as Nana Kwame ‘Nino’ Dapaah and Ankomah Obed inject some lovely feels.
The tunes are danceable and should open the way for Nana Romeo to be better known on the music scene here.
“Apart from the music being available on major digital platforms for easy access, I’m also pushing to be heard on radio and seen on television across the country so more people can appreciate the contribution those of us away from the nation’s shores are also making to popularise Ghanaian contemporary music,” Nana Romeo says about his new album.