I wrote Becca’s ‘Daa Ke Daa’, other songs for free – Akwaboah reflects on early career

Ghanaian highlife musician and songwriter Akwaboah has shared that most of the songs he wrote for other artists early in his career were for free.

In an interview on Daybreak Hitz with DJ Slim, Akwaboah opened up about how his passion for music and the desire for exposure led him to write for others without financial expectation. One notable example he mentioned was the popular hit “Daa Ke Daa” by Becca, which he composed without receiving any payment at the time.

“I wrote ‘Daa Ke Daa’ by Becca for free; I didn’t know anything about payment at that time,” he revealed.

Despite not being paid, Akwaboah expressed that his satisfaction came from seeing the song become a massive hit and receiving airplay on radio and TV. As a young, aspiring artist, he appreciated that contributing to Becca’s success helped him gain some much-needed exposure.

Over the years, Akwaboah has written songs for several other top artists, including Efya, Kofi Sarpong, and Sarkodie, further solidifying his reputation as a skilled songwriter in the Ghanaian music industry.

The musician also discussed his Christian background and how it continues to influence his music. Having been a choir master and keyboardist at his church for almost 24 years, Akwaboah revealed that his passion lies in creating love songs.

“I do love songs. I’m still the same keyboardist, the same choir master, but my gift is writing love songs. I don’t miss choir rehearsal,” he said, emphasising the importance of his church role while pursuing his career in secular music.

While he leads the choir at his church, Akwaboah made it clear that his music isn’t strictly gospel.

“Most of my songs are not gospel; they are love-related. I’m still doing the Lord’s work in a diverse way, different, but I might not be a gospel artist,” he explained.

This statement touches on the ongoing debate within the music industry about the intersection of spirituality and commercial music, highlighting the challenges musicians face as they navigate both their spiritual life and the business of music.

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