Piesie Esther talks English version of ‘Waye Me Yie’

Even though Piesie Esther agrees performing in an international language greatly widens one’s reach, she has argued that that is not the ultimate determiner of a song’s success.

The award-winning singer-songwriter guested on No.1 105.3 FM’s No.1 Showbiz, Tuesday, July 11.

“It’s very true singing in English takes a song far, reaching the diaspora and beyond,” she said.

However, she added, “a significant number of people prefer the very old songs performed in our indigenous language.”

The deaconess said “a lot of people call from abroad” concerning her ginormous hit Waye Me Yie.

These people always mention that what they love “is the spirit backing the song,” she explained. “They get a feeling but they don’t understand the words.”

“It’d have been preferable to them, had we done an English version,” she noted, “but anytime we’ve attempted a translation, we’ve encountered difficulties” especially with the parts where the song talks of the sorrows of living with strangers to make ends meet and such.

“When we ask people for the help, some of them begin to scratch their heads,” she said. “The [Akan] Twi used to write the song is heavy.”

Also, she agreed with Taller Dee that making an English version could also tamper with the song’s original beauty.

She indicated her team has settled for subtitles as can be seen for the remix of Waye Me Yie featuring Ohemaa Mercy, MOG Music and co.