SHOWBIZ KONKONSAH

I wrote ‘16 Years’ in a taxi – Mzbel

Reflecting on her iconic hit on 3Music TV’s Big Convo, Mzbel revealed that she got inspired to write the song from listening to some young ladies’ narrations of their rape experiences on Maame Dokono’s radio show, adding that she wrote the song in a taxi.

“I was in a taxi when I came up with the lyrics. I used to stay with a lot of young girls from Jamestown. So I watch how they talk, the way they behave and Mamidokno was always on radio talking about rape. So when a taxi one day, I was listening to Maame Dokono and I was watching how they were reacting to Maame Dokono’s stories and I came up with the song system. Yes, I started writing in the taxi,” she disclosed.

She admitted she never anticipated the song’s immense success beyond Ghana. Stating that she expected it to be just another song.

“I didn’t even think it would go outside Ghana. It was just another nice song… but the next minute it’s in Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, Togo… It’s everywhere.”

Comparing the reception of the song by the international audience to that of Ghanaian audience, Mzbel stated that she felt discouraged by the Ghanaian reception whenever she came on stage.

“The people reacted differently. When they see me, they welcome me. When they are taking pictures, you could actually feel that they are shaking. They are proud.

“But here in Ghana, you pop out somewhere where people are entertaining themselves. You are supposed to perform and people are looking at you like……. it’s heart-breaking. It’s discouraging. You’re on stage and then you are wondering, Am I doing? You are just thinking and you are not concentrating on the arts and the music,” she revealed.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

Related Articles

Back to top button