My stepmother gave me severe beatings for doing music - Abiana

Award-winning Ghanaian musician Eldah Naa Abiana Dickson better known as Abiana has recounted how her stepmother despised her decision to pursue a career in music.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with renowned broadcaster AJ Sarpong on Accra-based Citi 97.3FM, Abiana narrated how her dream of becoming a professional musician occasionally made her receive severe beatings from her stepmother.

"I quite remember when I was young and trying to pursue my career in music, my stepmother was against my dream...when I hear the piano then I would start jumping .... anytime I wanted to go for rehearsal she would say they shouldn't allow me to go then she would give me severe beatings because I had probably not done my house chores, she narrated.

"She would punish me but would still find my way to go and sing… I love singing so right after SHS, I started to pursue my career ... so that was where I started the reality shows and I have never given up,” she added.

Abiana's journey dates a decade and over, having tried to get into a number of music reality TV shows. In 2013, she joined the Afro Harmony Band as a backing vocalist and later in 2014, the Hy Skull band as a lead singer before launching her music career as a solo artist in 2020.

She is very versatile but has chosen to do what she calls ‘Soul Life’. The 'Adun Lie ' crooner is regarded as one of the best live band performances in the country. While answering a question in line with her biggest test during the band's era told AJ Sarpong, "Joining the band made me humble".

She explained that even though she was better than some of the seniors she was playing with," because when you join the band you see some of the artists' flaws. Those flaws are lessons for you. Staying humbled helped me a lot".

Abiana won the Best Vocal Performance award at the 2021 edition of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards. Apart from her ‘Alemle Lala’ album she also has songs like ‘Adunlei’, ‘Bo Nɔŋŋ Ni’, Shika’ among others.