NIIQUAYE
Emmanuel NiiQuaye Aryee, known in showbiz as “NiiQuaye” is a Fusion Musician (combines two or more genres) born and raised in a Mission House in Accra, Ghana where he discovered his passion for Music and Fine Arts.
Although he grew up under strict guardians, he was a happy child, loved and adored by his grandparents. His Grandfather was a Visual Artist hence, NiiQuaye also developed huge admiration for visual arts and learnt a lot in that space.
He had his basic education at the Hannah School Complex in Madina, a suburb of Accra, moved on to the Achimota Senior Secondary School, and completed in 2006. He attained a diploma in General Music in 2010 and a Bachelor Fine Arts (BFA) from the School of Performing Arts in the University of Ghana in 2014.
Intuitively, music is all NiiQuaye ever wanted to do growing up and this fascination for music developed when he first touched the drums in church. He assembled the drums and started playing them without any training whatsoever. He writes and reads music, plays the electronic keyboard (piano), guitar/bass, and percussion instruments, flute, drum set, xylophone and uses his vocal instrument. NiiQuaye is a Capricorn and no wonder he has insane passion for music; so much passion one could describe him a ‘music lunatic.’
In 2012, NiiQuaye put together a body of young talented musicians who are ‘crazy’ for music and they became publicly known as the “Musical Lunatics” in June 2014. He formed the Musical Lunatics band because he wanted to have a group of musicians and friends who loved music like he did and were available to have fun and in turn, be paid. The Musical Lunatics doubles as an independent record label and artiste management set-up with the aim of developing aspiring singers and musicians to reach attainable music goals through performance. The band has professionally written, performed, produced and provided back up to several artists (both popular and upcoming).
NiiQuaye is a 360 Musician: A writer, composer, a songwriter, producer, a performer and a vocalist and has written, produced and recorded several records outside of the Musical Lunatics band for popular musicians like Joojo Addison, Cina Soul, Poetra Asantewaa, Ayat, Fafa Ruffino from France, Woodin and Gaffaci, Cecily Bumbray from the USA. He co-produced and played guitars on records like, UX Me – Joey B, Tomorrow – DarkoVibes, Like December – Vision DJ, Double trouble – Vision DJ, Overdose – Sarkodie and Cinderella – Kidi.
A talented young man, with a huge vision of establishing a music production school for females because he believes they are the minority in the field of music production globally and especially in Ghana, NiiQuaye dreams of his productions listened to all over the world and the Musical Lunatics band, touring and sharing their live music across the globe. The visionary musician wants to write songs that impact lives positively, help budding talents with his music knowledge and experiences, and further his education in music and audio production.
NiiQuaye believes that music, irrespective of genre has its roots from one source, timeline, melody and rhythm. Thus, he doesn’t want the world to put him in a genre box.
The keys to it all, he has found to be hard work, dedication and honesty – staying true to himself. “Get ready to experience the truest part of me expressing through my good music and productions this year and beyond.”
RELEASES
NiiQuaye – Atomic Muse
Atomic Muse is a major step on NiiQuaye’s musical trajectory; a body of work which reflects the time and experience Nii has gathered on stage, blending musical genres and collaborating with a wide range of artists. Unlike the vast majority of his Ghanaian producer...
NiiQuaye – Bad feat. Alee, Boyd & Nana Benyin
NiiQuaye, one of the budding instrumentalists in Ghana drops a new song titled "Bad". He joins forces with soul singer Alee , Boyd & Nana Benyin . Bad which is a fusion of Apatampa (Fante) rhythms , soul chords and jazz chords. The song talks about a guy who...
Niiquaye – Twa Wonan Ase feat. Kirani AYAT & Akan
NiiQuaye and his Musical Lunatics band are familiar names on the live music circuit in Accra. This release is an exciting turning point, the first of a string of recorded projects slated for 2019. On this first single Nii joins forces with fellow Madina...
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NIIQUAYE
NiiQuaye and his Musical Lunatics band are familiar names on the live music circuit in Accra. This release is an exciting turning point, the first of a string of recorded projects slated for 2019. On this first single Nii joins forces with fellow Madina resident Kirani Ayat, and friend and frequent collaborator Akan. All three are part of a new generation of artists blurring the lines between commercial and alternative music in Ghana. All three are also friends, a natural proximity which makes this collaboration naturally potent.
Two Wonan Ase – dance your feet off / happy feet in twi – first comes across as a feel good, retro highlife kind of song. It is, but there is more to it: “Music should help carry a message for people to relate to, we can’t just go and say what we want to go and say, the music is what pushes it” NiiQuaye explains. In the song, NiiQuaye, Ayat and Akan go over the typical police interactions they face, especially because of their look and in particular their dreadlocks.
“We work all week, when the weekend comes we all just want to have fun” NiiQuaye explains. “On your way to town the police might stop you and get in the way. The song tackles these frequent situations, we break them down, but in the end we are advising the listener to brush over it all and just have fun.”
RELEASES
NiiQuaye – Atomic Muse
Atomic Muse is a major step on NiiQuaye’s musical trajectory; a body of work which reflects the time and experience Nii has gathered on stage, blending musical genres and collaborating with a wide range of artists. Unlike the vast majority of his Ghanaian producer...
NiiQuaye – Bad feat. Alee, Boyd & Nana Benyin
NiiQuaye, one of the budding instrumentalists in Ghana drops a new song titled "Bad". He joins forces with soul singer Alee , Boyd & Nana Benyin . Bad which is a fusion of Apatampa (Fante) rhythms , soul chords and jazz chords. The song talks about a guy who...
Niiquaye – Twa Wonan Ase feat. Kirani AYAT & Akan
NiiQuaye and his Musical Lunatics band are familiar names on the live music circuit in Accra. This release is an exciting turning point, the first of a string of recorded projects slated for 2019. On this first single Nii joins forces with fellow Madina...