Ebony empowered female artistes — Lousika
When female rapper, Lousika decided to join the music industry some five or six years ago, she did so on her own terms; she did not enter on a low note, it was an in your face kind of move and she used her sexuality to great effect in getting attention.
Her music may not have been the popular kind but she still garnered a lot of attention. In a lot of ways, she and the late Dancehall artiste, Ebony, share a lot of similarities; young, beautiful, talented and unashamed to be who they are.
The Ghanaian society is widely perceived to stifle our female artistes so that they are not able to be themselves and use their sex appeal in a way that boosts their career. However, for Lousika, things are changing today and our female artistes have become more empowered.
In her view, we can credit Ebony for that. “The ladies are working hard, they’re trying and it is very good to see them motivated and poised to make a difference. Now the females have more confidence, even when it comes to outfits; some are very bold to wear anything unlike before when they were afraid of what people would say about them.
“It has always been difficult for females to break out, we don't get much attention but I think with the shake up that the late Dancehall Queen, Ebony brought into the industry, the ladies are awake now,” she told Showbiz.
Although, the women are taking control, Lousika is unhappy that women rappers still do not get the recognition that they deserve. For her, that discrimination has gone on long enough.
“To me, female rappers not being respected is not a new thing because it has been like this for years. But there are many females who are working hard and breaking that stereotype and I pray, hope and believe that with time, things will change. We females need to work harder to make things change and produce good stuff for the people,” she said.
Although Lousika, real name, Christelle Akua Sika Amankona, made a comeback last year with two songs, Opampam which featured Shatta Wale and Something Sweet which featured Flowking Stone, she has been missing in action and she tells Showbiz she is taking time off to have a second child in Paris, France.
“I am still into music, I can’t leave what I love. It’s just that I need time off to attend to family issues but I am still in the business. I'm pregnant but not handicapped and I’m working on my EP.
“I will be coming back to Ghana very soon and to be honest, I take my time to do my music. I'm not in a rush but then I wanted to have my baby and that's what I'm doing and with God's grace, things will follow. My family is very important to me and music will forever be part of me so I don't have the intention of stopping now. I am just 24, still very young,” she said.
Lousika entered the Ghanaian music industry with her Boss Chick track and since then, she has released songs like Need Your Love which featured Sarkodie, In Love, Get Money, Hands Up featuring Cabum, Down Low featuring Joey B and Accra Connections featuring Bisa Kdei.
She raps and sings in four languages; French, Twi, English and Spanish.