Veteran songstress Mzbel has shared the inspiration behind her celebrated song “16 Years.’’
Mzbel disclosed that the song was inspired by a conversation about the severe concerns of rape and the susceptibility of adolescent females in a recent interview on 3Music’s Big Conversation, which 1Family Radio monitored.
In addition to hearing Maame Dokono discuss rape on the radio, she claimed to have watched the conduct of the young girls she used to live with in James Town.
Her song was inspired by these circumstances. The song’s lyrics were created by Mxbel as she was riding in a cab and listening to Maame Dokono talk about rape on the radio, according to Mxbel.
She noted, “I was in a taxi when I came up with the lyrics. I used to live with many girls from James Town, so I observed how they talked and behaved.’’
“Maame Dokono was always on the radio talking about rape. One day, while we were in a taxi listening to Maame Dokono, I watched people’s reactions to the stories, and I came up with the song ’16 years.’’
“I began writing the song in the taxi, and when I got home, I expanded on it, and that’s how it came together,’’ she said.
When questioned about whether she anticipated the song to have such a significant impact, she replied, Not at all; I didn’t even think it would become popular outside Ghana. I thought it was just another nice song I had created. But suddenly, it started spreading to Nigeria, Togo, and Equatorial Guinea.’’
Source: 1Familyradio