Ghanaian Dancehall and Afrobeats artist Priscilla Opoku-Kwarteng, professionally known as Ebony Reigns, was a fierce upcoming star whose presence continues to linger in the space she occupied. She was loud, energetic, and vibrant on every stage she graced, and her records during her time were Ghana #1 sellers, and the totality of her performance had brought her not only the stature of a brand but also into the popular Ghanaian household names and also parts of the continent, and personally, as she configured herself as a public figure, she created the false lens professing to empower women in a male-dominated space. Sadly, her journey ended when she was killed in a tragic car accident on February 8, 2018 but her legacy will live on forever.
A RECORD BREAKING STAR
Ebony was the first female recipient of theArtiste of the Year award at the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) placement in 2018, breaking the record and norm for the female brand in a man’s world. By the time she was granted this recognition, listeners were already aware of Ebony music that is dancehall, reggae, and Afrobeats that is embodied and distinct from the phrasing and/or references exhibited by any other afrobeats or eclectic genres across Africa and beyond. In popular works like Kupe, Maame Hwe, and Poison, she established an incredible style of music unequaled by her peers.
Profile Summary
* Real Name: Priscilla Opoku-Kwarteng
* Birthday: February 16, 1997
* Date of Death: February 8, 2018
* Age at death: 20 years old
* Hometown: Abesim (Sunyani), Bono Region, Ghana
* Nationality: Ghanaian
* Tribe: Bono
* Social Media
* Facebook: Ebony Reigns
* Instagram: @ebony_reigns
* Twitter: @ebony_reigns
Early Life / Family
Ebony Reigns was born in Sunyani in the Bono Region on February 16, 1997. She was the youngest sibling of three siblings to Madam Beatrice Oppong Marthin, Dietician, and Nana Opoku Kwarteng, Travel Consultant. She lived in Sunyani in her early life, before moving to Dansoman—a suburb of Accra. Ebony was always very artistic, enjoying drawing, poetry, and reggae music as a child, which later fed into her music.
SIBLINGS
Ebony was the youngest of two siblings:
* Nana Kwarteng-Opoku (elder brother)
* Happy Opoku-Kwarteng/Yaa Foriwaa (elder sister)
Education
Ebony’s journey started at Glory Kindercare Learning Complex, and then passed through Christ International Preparatory School in Sunyani, and when she and her family moved to accra to continue her basic education attend Christian Home School before she went on to attend Seven Great Princess Academy for junior High. Ebony then started at Methodist Girls Senior High School in Mamfe but dropped out of schooling altogether when she was in the last year of school to pursue music.
The Music Journey
Making the decision to drop out from school to pursue her dreams was a huge decision for Ebony. Ebony’s father was initially reluctant to support her dream but eventually saw that his daughter was very serious about her aspirations and agreed to support her. Ebony’s friend, Ogee the MC, introduced her to Bullet, the CEO of RuffTown Records, in 2015. This was the beginning of her professional singing career.
Ebony’s first single, called “Dancefloor,” in December 2015 had a great reception by the public, and she was nominated for Unsung during the 2016 VGMA, and after “Dancefloor,” she went on to release a follow-up single called “Kupe” in 2016, which really consolidated her status in the music industry. In 2017, Ebony released her first album, Bonyfied, which held several hits as well and won multiple awards.
NOTABLE SONGS
* Maame Hwe
* Poison (ft. Gatdoe)
* Kupe
* Sponsor
* Hustle (ft. Brella)
* Date Your Father
* Aseda
* Turn on the Light
ALBUMS
* Bonyfied (2017)
Awards and Accolades
Ebony was a talented hard worker, and she received numerous accolades, including
* Artist of the Year – VGMA 2018
* Afropop Song of the Year – VGMA 2018
* Album of the Year – VGMA 2018
* Reggae/Dancehall Song of the Year – Ghana Music Awards South Africa 2018
* Female Vocalist of the Year – Bass Awards 2017
* Kwame Nkrumah Artiste of the Year – Bass Awards 2017
* Favorite Female Musician – People’s Celebrity Awards 2017
Personal Life
Affectionately known as Nana Hemaa (Ohemaa), Ebony was a free spirit who lived life on her own terms. Aside from being unmarried with no kids, she lived life like a queen at the time of her death.
Net Worth
When she passed, Ebony’s net worth was estimated as $1.5 million in the world of entertainment, which proved that her efforts were documented in history.
Tragic Death
Ebony Reigns lost her life on February 8, 2018, in a car accident on the Kumasi-Sunyani road. She was on her way back home from a visit to her mother in Abirem. The accident also killed her close friend Franklina Yaa Nkansah Kuri and a soldier named Atsu Vondee, who was traveling with them both. Only Ebony’s driver, Okoh Pinehas Chartey, survived the tragedy. Ebony was laid to rest at the Osu Cemetery in Accra.
Legacy
Ebony Reigns’ untimely death shocked the whole nation. Even though she is no longer with us, her music and legacy will live on, because she was a symbol of resilience, talent, and a reminder to follow our dreams. Her contribution to Ghanaian music, specifically for female artists, is priceless and her songs continue to resonate with fans around the world.
Frequently Asked Questions on Ebony Reigns
- How old was Ebony Reigns when she died?
20 years old, days away from turning 21!
- Where was Ebony Reigns buried?
Osu Cemetery, Accra.
- What was the cause of Ebony Reigns death?
She died in a fatal car accident.
- Who are Ebony Reigns parents?
Beatrice Oppong Marthin (mother) and Nana Opoku Kwarteng (father).
- What was Ebony Reigns most popular song?
Maame Hwe is one of her most iconic and popularly celebrated songs.
Ebony Reigns may be gone, but her music and legacy are everlasting. She was not only a musician, but she was also a movement and the voice of the youth, and she created the vision of what it could be to have a female artist in Ghana. Rest in power, Nana Hemaa.