Asiama’s journey from X Factor setback to TGMA glory
WHEN the name Asiama was announced as the winner of Best Male Vocal Performance at the 27th Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA), the response inside the auditorium was not the usual eruption that greets the industry’s most popular names.
Instead, there was a brief hush, an understated ripple of applause that seemed to ask a silent question: who exactly is he?
But for the man who walked onto that stage, that moment was not about recognition measured in noise or familiarity. It was about arrival. Quiet, unassuming, and long overdue.
For Asiama, the stage was not just another platform but a full-circle moment nearly 13 years in the making.
Because, long before the red carpets, the flashing cameras, and the industry nods, there was a young boy who once stood on a very different stage with a dream that nearly slipped away.
At age 12, Emmanuel Asiamah Mensah took a bold step that many at the time considered premature. In 2012, he auditioned for Glo X Factor and even though his performance impressed the audience and the judges—Reggie Rockstone, M.I Abaga, and the late Onyeka Onwenu—he was disqualified on the grounds of age.
“The rules are the rules, but don’t be discouraged,” Onyeka told him after the competition. “By the time you come of age to take part in a contest like this, there won’t even be a contest. You’ll be beyond it.”
The young hopeful walked away from what could have been an immediate breakthrough. Yet, rather than fading into obscurity, that moment became a defining foundation. 14 years later, he is here to receive an award as TGMA27 Best Male Vocal Performer.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Asiama reflected on the deeper inspiration behind his purpose, music and creative process.
“I believe God works with intention. Even through the painful parts of His process, He always brings everything together perfectly in His own time.
“I try to approach my music the same way, turning experiences, emotions, and stories into something real that people can connect with and see themselves in and the result is what we are seeing today,” he said.
Profile
Born in Effiduase in the Ashanti Region, Asiama’s journey began under the guidance of his elder brother, Caleb Mensah, who had a great passion for Acapella music as an Adventist. Fascinated by the rich vocal blends during rehearsals, the young Asiama often snuck into practice sessions, and his dedication soon earned him a place in his brother’s group, Praizapella, marking the beginning of his step into music.
By age seven, his love for music had grown significantly, leading him to form his own group, Vipers. Demonstrating natural leadership and creativity, he taught his peers harmonies and organised performances in churches every Saturday.
These experiences sharpened his skills and deepened his appreciation for various genres, especially contemporary gospel music.
Influenced by celebrated gospel artistes such as J Moss, CeCe Winans, Smokie Norful and Yolanda Adams, Asiama devoted himself to studying vocal techniques and performance styles. Over time, he developed a sound that fused contemporary gospel influences with the choral traditions of his upbringing.
At age nine, his ambitions took a major step forward after meeting his first manager, Henry Duffour. With his support, Asiama organised his first concert at their church, an experience that strengthened his determination to pursue music professionally.
Through Henry Duffour, he also met keyboardist and mentor Atta Fosuhene Kwarteng. Under Atta’s guidance, Asiama’s talent flourished, with the duo sharing performance videos on social media that quickly gained attention and earned him invitations to perform beyond Kumasi.
Following his Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), he enrolled at Adventist Day Senior High School and after senior high school, Asiama pursued a degree in Fine Arts (Music, Theatre and Dance) at the University of Ghana (UG) and later learned to play instruments such as the guitar, keyboards, atenteben (flute) and the xylophone.
Prior to his university education, and at age 20, Asiama’s persistence paid off when he joined Nkyinkyim Band, where he gained valuable experience in music production and programming. It was also during this period that he adopted the stage name Asiama.
Career
His time with Nkyinkyim Band eventually opened doors for him to become a writer and lead singer for The Characters live band. Through the group, he performed on major stages, including the Global Citizen Festival, Rapperholic with Sarkodie, Promiseland with King Promise, and Afrochella with Amaarae.
After returning to UG to continue his studies, Asiama maintained his role with The Characters while sharing performance videos on Instagram.
His talent soon caught the attention of legendary Ghanaian producer and multi-instrumentalist Kwame Yeboah, founder of Kwashibu Area Band.
Kwame Yeboah became an influential mentor in Asiama’s career and later introduced him to creative entrepreneur Tina Atiemo, popularly known as Belove.
Through her support, Asiama successfully staged two major concerts, 90 Minutes with Asiama and 9Ti Mins with the Suns, with the latter emerging as a major success during his final year at university.
The industry first began to fully take notice of Asiama’s skills through his debut single, Akoma, last year.
Akoma went on to earn Best Male Vocal Performance and earned nominations in Record of the Year and Audio Engineer of the Year categories.
He is already working on a new EP and this is what he has to say about it: “My forthcoming EP is an important body of work because it represents who I am at an early stage in my career. Every song is a chapter in the larger story of my music journey, and each release, so far, has laid the foundation of my identity as an artiste.
“I’m excited for people to finally experience the full project and look forward to sharing it with the world in the coming months.”
