Janesis

Janesis
Studio album by
Efya
Released22 April 2016
Genres
Length82:00
Languages
LabelOne Nation Entertainment
Producers
Efya chronology
T.I.N.T.
(2013)		 Janesis
(2016)		 No More Tears
(2023)
Singles from Once Upon a Time
  1. "Life"
    Released: 11 May 2013
  2. "Forgetting Me"
    Released: 8 January 2014
  3. "One of Your Own"
    Released: 17 July 2014
  4. "Gingam Too Much"
    Released: 26 December 2014
  5. "Jorley"
    Released: 5 August 2015
  6. "Heartbeat"
    Released: 26 April 2016
  7. "Hele Mi"
    Released: 26 April 2016

Janesis is the debut studio album by Ghanaian singer Efya. It was released by One Nation Entertainment on 22 April 2016. A follow-up to T.I.N.T., Janesis is composed of 21 tracks and was initially titled Love Genesis. It was previously scheduled for release at different times between 2013 and 2015. The album explores musical styles such as Afro-soul, R&B, hip hop, neo-soul, Afropop, pop, and ragga. It examines the universal themes of hate and suffering and includes a number of love songs.

Janesis features collaborations with Stonebwoy, Sarkodie, Bisa Kdei, Mugeez, Ice Prince, Shaydee, and E.L. It was produced by Legendury Beatz, E.L, Bisa Kdei, KillBeatz, Robocop, and Kaywa, among others. The album was supported by the singles "Life", "Forgetting Me", "One of Your Own", "Gingam Too Much", "Jorley", "Heartbeat", and "Hele Mi".

Background

Efya signed a record deal with One Nation Entertainment in 2011.[1] She released her debut mixtape, T.I.N.T., two years later.[1] The mixtape comprises 13 tracks and serves as a precursor to Janesis, which was initially titled Love Genesis.[1][2] In an interview with GhanaWeb in October 2013, Efya disclosed that T.I.N.T. was meant to hold her fans over until she releases Janesis.[2] She told Elle South Africa that Janesis was delayed because she had to "put together the best I could for the fans".[3] Moreover, she stated that the album's title is a combination of her first name and the first book of the Bible.[3]

Janesis examines the universal themes of hate and suffering and includes a number of love songs.[2][4] Efya believes the album draws from her personal experiences, and described it as a compilation project she's worked on over the past three years.[2][5] Janesis comprises 21 tracks and features collaborations with Stonebwoy, Sarkodie, Bisa Kdei, Mugeez, Ice Prince, Shaydee, and E.L.[6][7] The album's production was handled by Legendury Beatz, E.L, Bisa Kdei, KillBeatz, Robocop, and Kaywa, among others.[7][1][8]

Release and promotion

The cover art for Janesis was unveiled via Twitter in October 2015.[9] On 26 February 2016, Efya played songs from the album to guests who were present at Twist Lounge for Bacchus Energy Drink's launch event.[10] Janesis was previously scheduled for release at different times between 2013 and 2015,[3][11][12] and was postponed multiple times before being released on 22 April 2016.[6] Four days after releasing it, Efya held an official launch party at Plot 7 Lounge in Osu, Accra.[13] She was interviewed by media outlets and signed autographs for fans.[13] During the event, the first copy of the album was auctioned for $15,000.[13] The launch party was hosted by comedian DKB and had several Ghanaian celebrities in attendance, including Reggie Rockstone and Akumaa Mama Zimbi.[13][14] In December 2016, Efya headlined the Girl Talk concert, which occurred at the National Theatre of Ghana.[8] She performed songs from the album at the event and shared the stage with hiplife acts who were featured on the album.[8]

Singles

The album's lead single, "Life", was released on 11 May 2013.[15] It was jointly produced by Possi Gee and rapper Ikon.[16] The Sonny Addo-directed music video for "Life" portrays Efya's musical journey in an autobiographical manner.[16] In the video, the singer watches footage from her previous concerts while sitting in an empty movie theatre.[16] Efya performed a live rendition of "Life" at Jazzhole, a book store in Lagos.[17] She won Best Female Vocal Performance at the 2014 Ghana Music Awards for "Life".[18] The second single, "Forgetting Me", was released on 8 January 2014.[11] Efya performed the song for the first time at the +233 Jazz Bar and Grill lounge on 11 January.[19] GhanaWeb's Kojo Wilson praised the singer's vocals and commended her performance.[20] The accompanying music video for "Forgetting Me" was filmed by Prince Dovlo.[21]

The Bisa Kdei-assisted track "One of Your Own" was released on 17 July 2014, as the album's third single.[22] Efya initially wanted to release "Gingam Too Much" as the third single but after discussions with her team, she decided to postpone its release.[23] The music video for "One of Your Own" was filmed by Kemist and Egyir.[24] "Gingam Too Much" was eventually released on 26 December 2014, as the album's fourth single.[25] "Jorley" was released on 5 August 2015, as the fifth single.[26] The song was produced by KillBeatz and features a rap verse by Sarkodie.[27] On 26 April 2016, Efya released "Heartbeat" and "Hele Mi" as the album's sixth and seventh singles, respectively.[28][29] The former features a rap verse by E.L, while the latter features vocals by Stonebwoy.[30]

Composition

Comprising 21 tracks, Janesis explores musical styles such as Afro-soul, R&B, hip hop, neo-soul, Afropop, pop, and ragga.[31][1] "Can I", a spooky track, features deeply mellow lyrics.[31] "Jorley" (Ga: "Lover"), a groovy mid-tempo track, is driven by African drums and piano tunes.[27] The track features three verses and was sung in Twi, Ga, and English.[27] In "One of Your Own", Efya begs for serenity.[31] The haunting track "Life" is rooted in jazz and soul music.[32] "Alive" is influenced largely by electronic dance music.[31] "Heartbeat" conveys excitement, whereas "R.U.D.1" conveys involvement.[31] "Forgetting Me" is a ballad that tells the story of love and heartbreak.[11] Isaac Herron of Youth Time magazine considers the song to be an "emotional ballad that embodies feelings of doubt, sadness, and intense wondering".[33] "I Try" features layered harmonies and poignant backing vocals; it is driven by percussion and a smooth bass line.[7]

Critical reception

A Pulse Nigeria contributor, who goes by Jonathan, granted the album a rating of 3.5 out of 5 and characterized it as a "songwriter's album".[31] Jonathan commended the lyricism and said the production "rolls through different qualities".[31]

Track listing

Janesis track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Can I"Jane AwindorDiverse Beats4:29
2."Sometimes"AwindorMilos Nikolic4:45
3."Jorley" (featuring Sarkodie)
  • Awindor
  • Michael Addo
KillBeatz4:05
4."Boy Bi Beh Gye"AwindorODB4:12
5."One of Your Own" (featuring Bisa Kdei)
  • Awindor
  • Ronald Appiah
Bisa Kdei3:41
6."Life"Awindor
  • Posigee
  • Ikon
4:04
7."Alive"AwindorLegendury Beatz3:27
8."Decepticon"Awindor—5:46
9."Heartbeat" (featuring E.L)
  • Awindor
  • Elom Adablah
E.L4:16
10."R.U.D.1" (featuring Shaydee)
  • Awindor
  • Shadrach Folarin
Legendury Beatz3:14
11."Gingam Too Much"AwindorKaywa3:49
12."Release"AwindorM!A3:37
13."Forgetting Me"Awindor—4:08
14."Getting You" (featuring Ice Prince)
  • Awindor
  • Panshak Zamani
  • Dex Kwesi
Kuvie4:13
15."Make I Love You"AwindorLegendury Beatz2:52
16."Ooh Ooh Ooh" (featuring Mugeez)AwindorE.L3:50
17."Once Upon a Time"AwindorRobocop4:24
18."Hele Mi" (featuring Stonebwoy)
  • Awindor
  • Livingstone Satekla
Beat Dakay3:03
19."Luv Luv Luv"AwindorRobocop3:11
20."I Try"Awindor—2:16
21."2 Chairs"Awindor—4:01
Total length:82:00
Notes
  • "—" denotes an unknown producer

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Abiola (26 April 2016). "Singer releases debut album "Janesis"". Pulse Nigeria. Archived from the original on 19 June 2026. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Efya talks new album 'Love Genesis'". GhanaWeb. 26 October 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 "Efya explains why 'Janesis' album delayed". Ghana Web. 4 May 2016. Archived from the original on 28 December 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  4. ↑ Stephens, Alexis (October 23, 2013). "Efya's First Chapter: Love Janesis Is Her Long-Awaited Debut". MTV Iggy. Archived from the original on March 14, 2014. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
  5. ↑ VJ Scaro (1 February 2013). "Efya talks about 'Love Genesis' album and becoming like Fela". Ameyaw Debrah. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Efya's debut album 'Janesis' to be out on April 22". GhanaWeb. 5 April 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 "Efya drops highly anticipated debut album 'Janesis'". Africori. Archived from the original on 14 March 2026. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 "Efya to rock Girl Talk Concert". GhanaWeb. 17 December 2016. Archived from the original on 3 January 2025. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  9. ↑ "Finally out: Official album cover for Efya's 'Janesis'". Ghana Web. 6 October 2015. Archived from the original on 8 January 2025. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  10. ↑ "Stars invade Efya's 'Janesis' Album listening party". Ghana Web. 28 February 2016. Archived from the original on 1 January 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
  11. 1 2 3 "EFYA Unveils New Single "Forgetting Me" From Forthcoming Debut Album "Love Genesis"". Modern Ghana. 8 January 2014. Archived from the original on 19 June 2026. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
  12. ↑ "Efya to release debut album 'Janesis'". GhanaWeb. 15 July 2015. Archived from the original on 4 January 2025. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Emmanuel Oscar Ugoh (26 April 2016). "Efya's Janesis Album Launch Sets The Precedence For Female Musicians". Modern Ghana. Archived from the original on 6 June 2026. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  14. ↑ "Entertainment of Friday, 22 April 2016Source: enewsgh.comPhotos: Efya's 'Janesis' album launched". GhanaWeb. 22 April 2016. Archived from the original on 4 January 2025. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  15. ↑ Onos (11 May 2013). "MusicNew Music: Efya – Life". BellaNaija. Archived from the original on 10 June 2026. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  16. 1 2 3 Jacob Roberts-Mensah; Zach Weg (4 November 2014). "Watch Ghanaian Neo-Soulstress Efya's Autobiographical Video For 'Life'". OkayAfrica. Archived from the original on 19 June 2026. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
  17. ↑ Brain Owusu-Konadu. "Talking Love & "Desire" with MiDi Kwakwa". Mullar. Archived from the original on 10 June 2026. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  18. ↑ "Photos + List of winners at the VGMAs 2014". GhanaWeb. 4 May 2014. Archived from the original on 4 January 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  19. ↑ "Efya Launches New Single,"Forgetting Me"". Daily Guide. Accra, Ghana. January 10, 2014. Archived from the original on March 14, 2014. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
  20. ↑ Kojo Wilson (18 January 2014). "Music Review: Efya beats good lyrics into 'Forgetting Me'". GhanaWeb. Archived from the original on 1 January 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
  21. ↑ Jimmy King (10 November 2023). "VIDEO: Efya – Forgetting Me". TooXclusive. Archived from the original on 19 June 2026. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
  22. ↑ Yaa Yamoah (17 July 2014). "Efya To Release New Single "One Of Your Own" Featuring Singer-Songwriter Bisa K'dei". Modern Ghana. Archived from the original on 10 June 2026. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  23. ↑ "Efya releases 'One of Ur Own' featuring Bisa K Dei". Ghana Web. July 17, 2014. Archived from the original on July 27, 2014. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
  24. ↑ "Video: Efya releases visuals for 'One Of Your Own' ft Bisa Kdei". Ghana Web. 19 November 2015. Archived from the original on 2 January 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  25. ↑ "Gingam Too Much – Single by Efya". iTunes Store. December 26, 2014. Archived from the original on February 28, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  26. ↑ Nanaquame Addai (3 August 2015). "Efya To Release New Single Featuring Sarkodie On 5th August". Modern Ghana. Archived from the original on 19 June 2026. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
  27. 1 2 3 "Sarkodie Is Special To Me - Efya". Modern Ghana. 6 August 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  28. ↑ Abiola (26 April 2016). "Efya - 'Heartbeat' ft EL". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  29. ↑ Abiola (26 April 2016). "Efya - 'Hele mi' ft Stonebwoy". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  30. ↑ "New Music: Efya feat. E.L. – Heart Beat + Hele Mi feat. Stonebwoy". BellaNaija. 26 April 2016. Archived from the original on 20 June 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  31. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Jonathan (9 June 2016). "Efya's 'Janesis' is an emotional journey through love". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  32. ↑ "Watch: Efya drops 'Life' video". GhanaWeb. 30 October 2014. Archived from the original on 4 January 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
  33. ↑ Isaac Herron (22 June 2020). "Ghanaian Afro Soul Fuels the Rhythm of the Heart through Songstress Efya!". Youth Time Magazine. Archived from the original on 19 June 2026. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
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