Gospel sensation, Joyce Akosua Twene, well known as Joyce Blessing, has recounted how her parents’ divorce affected her educational ambitions.
The songstress said she had dreams of venturing into journalism, fashion, and music but had to drop out at the junior high school level due to her parents’ separation.
“It was a broken home because my mom and dad were not together at the moment to take care of me, and there were a lot of things going on. I wanted to go school, but I didn’t get the chance.”
Joyce Blessing
She eventually resorted to living with people as a domestic worker and ended up selling on the streets of Kumasi, where she resided.
But after realizing that she could buy and sell on her own, she moved out to live on the streets while selling to cater to herself.
“I was selling all kinds of things, including sachet water, the one we used to tie (ice water). Everything I could get to sell for the day to get something home, I did. I’ve sold broom, gari, pear, cassava, plantain, alata soap, kerosene. I remember when I was in JSS 1, we had morning and afternoon sessions.
“When I had class in the morning, I would wake up early to help one kenkey vendor to sell before going to school. After school, I could go with my friends to a place to cut firewood to sell to food vendors.”
Joyce Blessing
But thanks to technological advancements, the ‘Unbreakable’ singer, as she is also known, persevered and improved her English language speaking and fluency with the help of the internet, working earnestly to actualize her music dreams.
Her experiences and struggles have made her encourage those who are facing challenges to get the best education and to stop complaining, as technology has made it less stressful to access learning platforms with ease.
“Nowadays, you can’t complain because there are a lot of ways to learn. You can go online or even let your kids help you to learn in terms of grammar so you can be able to express yourself wherever you go.
“So, if you feel like you wanted to get somewhere but, due to life’s circumstances, you couldn’t get there, it’s not too late yet. You can rebuild things and change things around you by making time and practising self-education.”
Joyce Blessing
Joyce Blessing Picks King Paluta as TGMA 2025 Artiste of the Year
The Gospel singer openly declared her support for King Paluta in the race for the 2025 Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) Artiste of the Year, acknowledging his immense dedication over the past year.
Joyce Blessing expressed her strong belief that the Kumasi-based musician truly deserves the accolade. However, she also voiced concerns that unforeseen circumstances might prevent him from winning, though she chose not to elaborate.
“Everybody knows King Paluta has done well and deserves the award, but with the way things are going, we’re not sure whether he will actually receive it or not. This is Ghana; anything can happen.”
Joyce Blessing
Joyce Blessing, who recently released a song titled ‘Correct’ featuring King Paluta, praised the rapper-turned-singer for his outstanding performance on the track.
While she remains hopeful that King Paluta will secure the award, she also supports gospel group Team Eternity Ghana (TEG) as a worthy alternative, should he miss out. She emphasised that the group has equally put in the effort to earn their nomination.
This year’s TGMA Artiste of the Year category features a strong lineup, including Kweku Smoke, Stonebwoy, Joe Mettle, King Promise, and Black Sherif.
Last year, King Promise was widely expected to win the title but was ultimately edged out by Afro-Dancehall star Stonebwoy. The 2025 edition presents yet another highly competitive contest, with many industry insiders seeing King Promise and King Paluta as the frontrunners.
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