The Mirror's Health , Lifestyle and Fashion
Blossom • Three sisters on a musical journey
For many years, they performed in church, at home and small gatherings till three years ago when they decided to take up music professionally.
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Interestingly, it was distance and separation that led to their decision to form the group. All three got married, moved out of their parents’ home and couldn’t meet to sing as often as they wished. They decided that to keep their love for music, they would start a group which would mean being in touch to do what they love doing together — singing.
In music circles they are known as Blossom, a name that according to Theresa, the eldest of the three, was a reflection of what they stood for.
She told The Mirror in an interview in Accra that being career women and mothers, there was the high tendency of ignoring certain interests and God-given talents to focus only on family, children and career.
“Blossom actually captures our existence, there is so much going on around each of us as we grow but we have been able to blossom because we have put our energies into something we all love. “At a point, we were all crowded by different life events; marriage, childbirth, work and other responsibilities”. “But we realised that we couldn’t just continue like that without giving ourselves the chance to do what we love,” she explained.
Siblings Theresa (left), Phyllis (middle) and Sarah make up the music group; Blossom
Performances
The group is known for their rendition (cover) of some gospel songs, particularly hymns. They have recorded a number of these songs on their YouTube channel (Blossom 3io) and performed at different events.
Sarah, the second born and soprano singer in the group said they realised most of the old local hymns had been abandoned but they carried so much power. The idea was to give the hymns a new feel while reiterating the messages behind them.
Also, she added that they knew people loved the hymns but had forgotten about them because they were not performed or played like they used to be.
“Some of the hymns we had to consult some older people to explain the words to us so we can perform and interpret them better,” she said.
The group however do not limit their performances to hymnals or gospel as they also perform renditions of songs that tackle social issues.
“We are Christians and our aim is to spread the gospel through music but we also understand that we live in a society and there are other virtues that are preached in other songs so depending on the event, we choose the songs. For instance, for an independence day event, we are likely to sing about patriotism. There are many songs that preach togetherness, love, unity and other values but they may not necessarily be gospel,” she explained.
The group currently has one song out (Nyame Nti) and is working on six others which are yet to be released.
According to Theresa, their plan was to build a solid brand and get known in the musical space so that promoting their own works would not be difficult.
Events and charity
Aside from performing at events organised by others, the group occasionally organises its own events where it serenades guests with renditions of local and international music.
In 2020, when the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible for physical events, the group held a virtual Father’s Day event, “Blossom Date with Daddy” in June to celebrate fathers. Some of the events they have organised in the past are: “Blossom 9 Virtues & Jazzy Carols”, “Blossom Night of Hymns” and “Wonders and the Blossom Christmas Concert”.
This year, the group is planning an event to celebrate fathers in June, this time a live event where guests can celebrate their fathers and father figures.
Theresa added that after each of their events, they use the proceeds to embark on a charity event as their way of giving back to the society.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, they distributed books to children living in some less privileged areas in Accra
As part of efforts to touch lives, they visited the 37 Military Hospital, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and the Police Hospital all in Accra, where they shared gifts and ministered to children on admission.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, they also embarked on a project where they distributed books to children living in some less privileged areas in Accra.
“All schools were closed and children were expected to learn virtually, sadly, not all of them had access to the Internet or gadgets to learn so we decided to support them by presenting books to them so they could also learn during that period,” Phyllis, the youngest and lead singer added
Fashion
A glance through their Instagram page (@blossom.3io) reveals that the sisters do not only love music but also have a good taste for fashion.
It is obvious that they pay much attention to what they wear and how they are styled. The two older sisters admit that their sense of fashion is usually influenced by their “fashion police” – Phyllis. She is usually the one to coordinate what they will wear, their makeup, accessories and general outlook.
The sisters do no only love music but also have a good taste for fashion
Although Phyllis wouldn’t agree immediately that she was the fashion police, her description of what went into selecting the outfits gave her away “Most of our outfits are sponsored, so we give them the theme and they design something for us. If we have to choose our own designs, I listen to each person’s preference and if it doesn’t work for me, I give my inputs. Ultimately, the outfit must be decent, fit for the event and chic as it is all part of the branding”.
Personal backgrounds
While Theresa is in the education sector, Sarah is a banker and Phyllis is in the insurance industry.
The trio are the first three of their parent’s five daughters. According to them, they picked their music traits from their parents. While their mother sang in the choir for many years, their late dad could also play the guitar.
Theresa said it was their mother who usually helped them in selecting some of their songs. She was the one who explained the meaning of some of the old Twi hymns they performed.
Asked how they managed their differences, Theresa said, “We know how far we want to go with this ministry so we do not allow our individual preferences supersede the group’s interest. Luckily, we have lived together all our lives and know each other’s temperaments so we are able to manage issues so it does not affect our work. We are hoping that our children will take this up and take it to another level”.