I’ve always sang at church and with my family. Being a PK, I was totally surrounded by music all that the time. However I only discovered I could sing better than I thought at the age of 15. I then started writing music to explore my abilities. At the age of 18 I went to Ghana from the UK and auditioned for Stars of the Future season 5. After the show ended I realized music was indeed a key part of my journey and purpose. I remember taking a break for some months to figure out exactly what type of music I wanted to do. I gravitated towards God and music centred around Him and so that’s what I did.
Over the years I have released lots of singles, an EP and an album. Regardless of what was happening around me or what I was going through, I kept pushing for excellence. With every project, I forced myself and my team to raise the bar higher than the project before. The journey has been difficult and sometimes almost discouraging but what kept me going was my deep rooted love for God.
What were the biggest initial hurdles and how did you overcome them?
Initially I don’t think I was taken too seriously by other Ghanaian artists or even media. There weren’t a lot of young female gospel artists at the time and I was quite different. I was advised to adapt and possibly take other routes. But I always kept pressing forward regardless of what anyone said because I realized God had a bigger plan for me but it would take time.
What books are you currently reading?
I used to be a serious bookworm but recently I can’t seem to finish any book I read. Or maybe it’s because I’m not always seated at one place. Besides my bible, it is rare for me to be reading a book.
Did you ever deal with contention from your family and friends concerning your pursuits?
How did you handle it? What would you do differently in hindsight?
Yeah! I did. Other people always think they know better than you right? Or they may not see the full vision. And so yeah I did have family and friends try to advise me. Some of which I took and some I didn’t take at all. I’ve lost some friends on the way because we clashed or they felt I was too strong headed. However, I believe stubbornness can be a gift from God if it means being relentless to let go of what you believe He has called you to do.
What would you say was the single most influential factor in your success?
The single most influential factor in my journey has been God. Not a human being or anything else. Just God. I wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t been for God helping me through and assisting me in transforming how my mind worked. Niiella at 18 is not the same person as Niiella at 28. I’ve seen myself change and grow in ways that I can only attribute to God.
What do you know today that you wish you would have known when you first got started?
I don’t think I’d have learnt anything differently. Every part of my story good and bad has been key. I learnt to be patient quite early on. And that has been a major key to me taking my time and trusting God
What advice would you give to an upcoming youth or talents locally and internationally?
I would tell all talented people to never give up. Especially if you are different. However you can’t be strong headed but not wise and wisdom comes from God. So develop your relationship with Him. Surrender your life where you have to. And take your time. Nothing great happens immediately. Even if it does, you need good character to maintain it. And good character isn’t built in a day. Some aspect of your journey will take time and that is normal. So embrace the journey now while you can.
