Mavis Acquah

vocals

BIOGRAPHY
Great that you want to find out more about me! To keep it nice and simple I'm not gonna bug you with a lot of blabla, but with honest answers to frequently aked questions and hard facts. Enjoy!

FAQ's

Q Is there a story behind your name?
A I was born in Amsterdam, but my dad is from Ghana and my mom from Indonesia. My middle name is Grey and there's definitely a story behind my name: my initials are M.G. after my dad's favourite car and I'm also named after Mavis Staples, an American rhythm and blues/gospel singer and civil rights activist.

Q Who were your heroes growing up?
A Besides mom and dad:) The Jackson Five, Michael, Janet, Prince. I even was into Nirvana and Pearl Jam once.

Q When did you start performing?
A The minute I could stand on my two feet! I loved to dance as a child and grabbed every opportunity to show people my funky moves (yes, I've got proof). My first singing performance was at a school concert. I sang "I'll Be There" and was hooked instantly.

Q At which music academy did you study?
A To be honest I studied Law at the Radboud University in Nijmegen.It was definitely not my first choice, but it helped me gain some backbone and speak my mind: "I want to be on stage!" After graduating from University I attended the Lion King Theatre School for a year.

Q What and/or who inspires you?
A When it comes to songwriting it could be anything: music, relationships, the weather, current events. When it comes to performing I get inspired by other artists and fun things like fashion!

Q Where is Mavis Acquah headed? What's your wildest dream?
A My solo album, that's for sure! I would really love to create my own sound and my own show with a team of creative people. They need to be a bit crazy too, cause I love to experiment.

FACTS

Performed at:
Dance Valley 2009, Dance Valley 2008, Bateria, Uitmarkt, Escape, Melkweg, Paradiso, Club 360 (Istanbul, TR), Longtable (Istanbul, TR), Gecce Award Evening (Istanbul, TR), Heineken Music Hall, Indian Summer Festival, Breathing Bijlmer, Dutch Film Festival, Dauphine, Miljonair Fair and many other places.

Music Releases:
"Step By Step", Gregor Salto & Laidback Luke feat. Mavis Acquah (2009)
"No More Lies", Funkin Matt feat. Mavis Acquah (2009)
"Love Is On It's Way", Lewis Ferrier feat. Mavis Acquah (2008)

Member of:
Hardsoul Live!, Amsterjamming, Moon Baker, Future Groove Express

TV appearances:
"Mooi Weer De Leeuw", "The Making Of The Lion King", "Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden", "Staatsloterijshow"