Kuami Eugene
Eugene Kwame Marfo (born February 1 1997),[1] who goes by the stage name Kuami Eugene is a Ghanaian High-life and Afrobeat singer-songwriter. He is signed to Lynx Entertainment and Empire Distribution[2] and is known for several songs, including "Angela", "Wish Me Well," "Ohemaa" and many others. He won the New Artist awards in 2018 from the Ghana Music Awards and the Ghana Music Awards UK. He also received the Most Promising Artist in Africa award from AFRIMA.[3] In 2019, Kwame Eugene received 7 nominations at the Ghana Music Awards and went on to win the awards for Album of the Year, Producer of the Year, and Highlife Artist of the Year.[4] He was crowned Artist of the Year and High-life Artist of the Year at the 2020 Ghana Music Awards.[5]
Kuami Eugene | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Eugene Kwame Marfo |
| Also known as | RockStar |
| Born | 1 February 1997[1] Oda, Ghana |
| Genres | Afro pop, Highlife, Afrobeats |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, Record producer |
| Instrument(s) |
|
| Years active | 2016–present |
| Labels | Lynx Entertainment, Empire |
| Website | www |
Early life
Kuami Eugene[6] was born to Alex and Juliana Marfo in Akim Oda, Ghana.[7][8] His interest in music led him to sing in the church from a young age where he also learned how to play the drum, keyboard, and guitar.[9] He attended the Salvation Army Senior High School located at Akim-Wenchi. The young artist, who grew up in the environs of Fadama, a suburb of Accra furthered his education at Ghana Telecom University.[10]
Music career
Kuami Eugene was a contestant in season 5 of the reality competition show MTN Hitmaker in Ghana in 2016, where he finished third overall.[11] He was signed shortly afterward to Lynx Entertainment and has gone on to release several singles. In 2017, "Angela"[12] reached one million views on YouTube, the most for any music artist on that label, and was indicated to be in rotation among the top 10 songs in Ghana.[13] He is a featured artist in "Adwenfi" by DJ Vyrusky and Shatta Wale.[14] In 2018, he released a continuation of the story line in the "Angela"[15] song called "Confusion".[16] And in June 2018, he released the single "Wish Me Well", which was in response to the negative comments he received on social media.[17]
In 2017, he participated in Sarkodie's Rapperholic Concert in Ghana, on the 25th of December.[18] Ghana Music Honors 2017 Edition, December to Remember 2017,[19] Concert 2017,[20] the 61st Ghana Independence Celebration Show at Indigo 02 in London.[21] Kuami Eugene has gone on to perform on many more stages including at Oh My Festival in Amsterdam, Afrobeats to the World concert at the PlayStation Theatre in New York, and Afronation in Ghana.
In May 2022, Kuami Eugene released his single 'Take Away' and performed at the 2022 Afrochella in Ghana.[22][23]
Recognition
Legendary High-life artist Amakye Dede crowned Kuami Eugene as his successor in high-life music at the 20th edition of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards.[24]
On the 21st Vodafone Music Awards held at Accra International Conference Centre, Kuami Eugene won the Artiste of the Year, beating off competition from Sarkodie, Medikal, Kofi Kinaata and Diana Hamilton.[25]
Controversies
Song theft allegations
In October 2021, a notable incident emerged within the music scene as Bhadext Cona, a musician, publicly accused Kuami Eugene of engaging in song plagiarism. The genesis of this controversy can be traced back to Bhadext Cona's original intention to collaborate with Kuami Eugene on her track titled "Bolga." However, she alleges that instead of honoring the collaborative project, Kuami Eugene repurposed the song and transformed it into his solo release, which he named "Bunker."[26][27]
Discography
Singles
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Ɛbɛyɛyie" | 2017 | Non-album singles |
| "Fadama Boy" | ||
| "Hiribaba" (featuring MzVee) | ||
| "Boom Bang Bang" | ||
| "Angela" | Rockstar | |
| "Confusion" | 2018 | |
| "Wish Me Well" | ||
| "Wish Me Well remix" (featuring Ice Prince) | Non-album singles | |
| "Meji Meji" (featuring Davido) | ||
| "Walaahi" | Rockstar | |
| "No More" (featuring Sarkodie) | 2019 | |
| "Ohemaa" (featuring KiDi) | Non-album singles | |
| "Obiaato" | ||
| "Turn Up" | 2020 | |
| "Ghana We Dey" (featuring Samini & Shatta Wale) | Son of Africa | |
| "Open Gate" | ||
| "Fire Fire" | 2022 | Fire Fire |
| "Take Away" | Take Away |
As featured artist
Below are some of the singles Kuami Eugene has been featured on.
| Title | Year | Chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS [28] |
FRA [29] |
GER [30] |
NLD [31] |
NOR [32] |
NZ [33] |
SWE [34] |
SWI [35] |
UK [36] |
US [37] | ||||
| "Rewind" (MzVee featuring Kuami Eugene) |
2017 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | — | Daavi | |
| "Adwenfi" (DJ Vyrusky featuring Shatta Wale & Kuami Eugene) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | — | Non-album singles | ||
| "Killing Me Softly" (Adina featuring Kuami Eugene) |
2018 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | — | ||
| "Kwani Kwani" (Tic featuring Kuami Eugene) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | — | |||
| "Baby Girl" (Strongman featuring Kuami Eugene) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | — | |||
| "New African Girl" (Fuse ODG featuring KiDi & Kuami Eugene) |
90 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | — | |||
| "Back To Sender" (DJ Breezy featuring Kuami Eugene, Darko Vibes & Kwesi Arthur) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | — | |||
| "Bend Down" (MzVee featuring Kuami Eugene) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | — | |||
| "Drogba (Joanna) - new Africa remix" (Afro B featuring Mayorkun, Kuami Eugene, KiDi & Frenna) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | — | |||
| "Never Carry Last" (DJ Vyrusky featuring Mayorkun & Kuami Eugene) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | — | Rockstar | ||
| "Eternity" (Jupiter featuring Kuami Eugene) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | — | Non-album singles | ||
| "Baby" (DJ Vyrusky featuring KiDi, Shatta Wale & Kuami Eugene) |
2019 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | — | ||
| "E No Be My Matter" (Okyeame Kwame featuring Kuami Eugene) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | — | Made in Ghana | ||
| "Nothing I Get (remix)" (Fameye featuring Kuami Eugene, Medikal & Article Wan) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | — | Non-album single | ||
| "Honey" (Sarkodie featuring Kuami Eugene) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | — | Black Love | ||
| "Take Me Away" (Stonebwoy featuring KiDi & Kuami Eugene) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | — | Non-album singles | ||
| "No Dulling" (Keche featuring Kuami Eugene) |
2020 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | — | ||
| "Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah)" (CKay featuring Joeboy and Kuami Eugene) |
8 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 29 | |||
| ''Metua''
(Amerado featuring Kuami Eugene) |
2021 | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | Non-album singles | |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Organization | Award | Nominated work | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3Music Awards | Artist of the Year | Himself | Nominated | [42] |
| Best Collaboration of the Year | Biibi Besi (Kwame Yogot ft. Kuami Eugene) | Nominated | |||
| Yeeko (Okyeame Kwame ft. Kuami Eugene) | Nominated | ||||
| Happy Day (Sarkodie ft. Kuami Eugene) | Nominated | ||||
| Hiplife Song of the Year | Abodie (Captain Planet (4×4) ft. Kuami Eugene) | Nominated | |||
| Hip-Hop Song of the Year | Yeeko (Okyeame Kwame ft. Kuami Eugene) | Nominated | |||
| Afrobeats/Afropop Song of the Year | ''Dollar on You'' | Nominated | |||
| Highlife Act of the Year | Himself | Nominated | |||
| Song of the Year | Biibi Besi (Kwame Yogot ft. Kuami Eugene) | Nominated | |||
| Yeeko (Okyeame Kwame ft. Kuami Eugene) | Nominated | ||||
| Happy Day (Sarkodie ft. Kuami Eugene) | Nominated | ||||
| Producer of the Year | Himself (Rockstar Made it) | Nominated | |||
| Video of the Year | Spiritual (KiDi ft. Kuami Eugene, Patoranking) | Nominated | |||
| 2021 | Vodafone Ghana Music Awards | Artiste of the Year | Himself | Nominated | [43] |
| Highlife Song of the Year | "Open Gate" | Nominated | |||
| Most Popular Song of the Year | "Open Gate" | Nominated | |||
| Highlife Artist of the Year | Himself | Won | |||
| Album of the Year | "Son of Africa" | Nominated | |||
| International Collaboration of the Year | "Show Body" (ft Falz) | Nominated | |||
| Collaboration of the Year | "Happy Day" (Sarkodie ft Kuami Eugene) | Won | |||
| Best Music Video | "Open Gate" | Nominated | |||
| 3Music Awards | Artist of the Year | Himself | Nominated | [44] | |
| Highlife Act of the Year | Himself | Won | |||
| Album of the Year | "Son of Africa" | Nominated | |||
| Song of the Year | "Open Gate" | Nominated | |||
| Afrobeats/Afropop of the Year | "Open Gate" | Nominated | |||
| 4syte TV Music Video Awards | Best Highlife Video | "Open Gate" | Nominated | [45] | |
| Most Popular Video | "Open Gate" | Won | |||
| Best Male Video | "Open Gate" | Nominated | |||
| Best Special Effect Video | "Turn Up" | Won | |||
| Best Storyline | "Open Gate" | Nominated | |||
| Most Influential Artist | Himself | Won | |||
| Best Edited Video | "Open Gate" | Nominated | |||
| Best Directed Video | "Open Gate" | Nominated | |||
| Overall Best Video | "Open Gate" | Nominated | |||
| 2020 | Vodafone Ghana Music Awards | Artiste of the Year | Himself | Won | [5] |
| Highlife Song of the Year | "Obiaato" | Nominated | |||
| Best Video of the Year | Nominated | ||||
| Highlife Artist of the Year | Himself | Won | |||
| Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated | ||||
| Best Collaboration of the Year | "Ohemaa" (ft KiDi) | Nominated | |||
| Most Popular Song of the Year | "Obiaato" | Nominated | |||
| 3Music Awards | Highlife Song of the Year | "Walaahi" | Nominated | [46] | |
| Highlife Artist of the Year | "Obiaato" | Won | |||
| 2019 | Vodafone Ghana Music Awards | Artist of the Year | Himself | Nominated | [25] |
| Highlife Artist of the Year | Won | [47] | |||
| Producer of the Year | Won | ||||
| Album of the Year | Rockstar | Won | |||
| Song of the Year | "Wish Me Well" | Nominated | [25] | ||
| Highlife Song of the Year | Nominated | ||||
| Best Collaboration | "Never Carry Last" | Nominated | |||
| 3Music Awards | High-life Act of the year | Himself | Won | [48] | |
| High-life Song of the year | "Wish Me Well" | Won | |||
| Ghana Music Awards UK | Highlife Song of the Year | "Wish Me Well" | Won | [49] | |
| Highlife Artist of the Year | Himself | Won | |||
| Ghana Music & Arts Awards Europe | Highlife Song of the Year | "Wish Me Well" | Won | [50] | |
| Highlife Artist of the Year | Himself | Won | |||
| Artist of the Year | Won | ||||
| 2018 | 4syte Music Video Awards | Best Story line Video | "Angela" | Nominated[51] | |
| Ghana Music Awards | High-life Song of the Year | "Angela" | Nominated | [52] | |
| Song of the Year | "Angela" | Nominated | |||
| Best Male Vocalist | Himself | Nominated | |||
| High-life Artist of the Year | Himself | Won | [53] | ||
| Best New Artist | Himself | Won | |||
| Liberia Music Awards | Best International Artist | Himself | Nominated | [54] | |
| Ghana Music Awards UK | Best New Artist of the Year | Won | [55] | ||
| AFRIMA | Most Promising Artist in Africa | Won | [56] |
References
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