KJ. has explained how Highlife icon Kojo Antwi came to influence his singing and songwriting.

The Cuba-based Ghanaian medical student and singer-songwriter spoke to Prince Benjamin (PB) on Entertainment Capital on Accra 100.5 FM.

According to KJ., while his grandmother was his first exposure to music, he later discovered the multiple award-winning and BET-recognised Kojo Antwi through his mother’s recreational habit which was against the known status quo of her religion.

Later, as a teenager, he decided to peruse the music of the man popularly called The Maestro or Mr Music Man himself.

“I come from a musical family,” KJ. noted. “My grandmother sings and writes songs – she’s based in Kumasi – I was exposed early to her musical prowess.”

“In my nuclear family in Accra, my mother who is very, very Christian, always found time for Kojo Antwi. She was fond of playing a lot of Kojo Antwi records. When I went to school and people were talking about [Hiplife act] 4x4 and others, it was difficult for me to relate because in my household, it was either Christian songs or Kojo Antwi,” he added.

He declared his utmost respect for Kojo Antwi’s music acumen, calling him peerless, even.

“Growing up, I decided to personally go into his catalogue, and understand his music properly. That was somewhere in high school. And I realised he’s an amazing songwriter, an amazing vocalist. In my opinion, I don’t think anyone can be compared to Kojo Antwi – he’s legendary in Ghana. His music is just flawless,” KJ. said.

Since 2019, Emmanuel Dwumfour-Poku, alias KJ., has been in Cuba studying and practising medicine with the aim of becoming a pediatrician.

With a home recording studio at his disposal, he makes music from the perspective and purpose of “trying to heal the world with good music one verse at a time”.

Hear KJ.’s latest offering, Head Above Water, below – a song that encourages resilience when one feels overwhelmed by the vicissitudes of life and love, and juggling all that with responsibilities.