https://www.myjoyonline.com/im-ghanaian-and-my-song-proves-it-yasmeen-helwani/-------https://www.myjoyonline.com/im-ghanaian-and-my-song-proves-it-yasmeen-helwani/

Singer-songwriter Yasmeen Helwani says she often feels like an outsider in her home country of Ghana, something which prompted her to release a song about her heritage.

She was born and raised in Ghana to a Lebanese father and Ghanaian mother.

Her latest song - How Are You? - addresses her mixed identity and features another well-known person of mixed heritage, Ghanaian-Romanian Wanlov.

"It speaks of my experience as a Ghanaian and also addresses my Ghanaian brothers and sisters in a local language, telling them - listen I’m your sister, but you don’t know."

Communicating in local languages is the one thing that she has found that changes attitudes about her and helps other perceived differences to fade away.

"Once I mastered the courage to reach out to my community, that was the only thing that broke the ice.

"One of the best things my mum did was allow us to learn local languages," she says.

Helwani's late father, Faisal Helwani, also found his heritage difficult despite being born in Ghana and his legendary status on the music scene in Ghana and West Africa - producing great acts like the highlife band Basa Basa and managing Fela Kuti.

"My father was very interested in musicians, he had a lot of heartbreak because he would invest a lot in people and then eventually being referenced as some foreigner.

"He did face a lot of discrimination during his lifetime here in Ghana."

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.



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