26/12/2020
"Blofonyo! How are you? I am fine thank you!" - This is the song little kids in Osu would sing as they chased me on the streets of Osu many years ago. Fast forward to today, I hear more shouts of "Obroni!" as the twi language gains wider ground throughout the capital. As I grew older I began to understand that many of them meant well, and meant it jovially. Even though many times I felt singled out and alienated, it only made me stronger." - These are the words of Yasmeen Helwani, who recently adopted the stage name YAZ MEEN. Her last album" Music Messenger" featured her hit song "PADDY" as well as other popular tunes like "Medication" and "Propaganda". Yaz Meen is the daughter of the late legendary producer - Faisal Helwani of BIBINI MUSIC fame. "My father was Lebanese with Egyptian roots, my mum is a mix of Ga and Ewe, German, British, and Portuguese. Today I see young mixed kids going through similar experiences I have been through and I am here to tell them it's OK to be unique. My new song "HOW ARE YOU" featuring WANLOV the Kubolor explains the meanings of some of these words we use unknowingly. Blofonyo - Executioner. Yevu - tricky dog. So as Wanlov said in his verse - "Call me by my name if I no do you wicked before". This song is the story of a girl who loves her country even if she doesn't really look the part."
Yaz Meen started her career with Bibini Music in the late nineties, releasing 3 albums under Faisal Helwani's music label. After the death of her father and then manager, she went on to independently create the album " Music Messenger" which she released in 2016 with fusions of Jazz, Soul, Afrobeats, and Reggae. Yaz Meen is now working on her new album "Ready to Love" due out in April 2021. In the meantime, the new single "HOW ARE YOU" BY Yaz Meen is now available on iTunes, Boomplay, and all online platforms.
