Urban Music Awards signs Ghanaian artist - Zena

One of the world’s biggest music organisations the Urban Music Awards is pleased to announce it’s first ever African signing to it’s subsidiary record label, Invincible Records.

The 20 year old recording artist, Zena ( real name Jeanette Akua Yeboah-Mensah) born of a Ghanaian father from Sunyani and raised in South Africa has bagged herself a 5 million pound recording contract for a 5 year album deal with Invincible Records the sister label to the Urban Music Awards.

“I am still in shock, but I am so thankful and blessed to have been giving this opportunity to represent Africa globally. It’s been a journey, but I believe you can achieve anything with faith, determination and belief in God”. said Zena.

From the age of 12 Zena showed star quality with her first television debut on the hit reality show 'South African Idols' (2010) and reached top 90 semi-finalists at just the age of 18. A few months later, that same year she entered South African ‘POPSTARS’, a popular singing TV show and made top 30.

In early 2011 after several rejections, she was finally granted an indefinite leave visa for the United Kingdom. So immediately after completing high-school, Zena packed her bags and wasted no time in moving to London to pursue an international singing career. Her mum initially didn't want her to leave home but Zena convinced her it was the best thing to do. "I was secretly terrified to come to London, I was just 18 I didn't know anyone and I didn’t have a plan. All I knew is that I was going to make it. I had never been away from home but I couldn't let my mum know I was afraid or else she would never have let me go" ,explains Zena."

Quickly after moving to London, Zena was introduced by a mutual friend to the CEO of the Urban Music Awards, Jordan Kensington. Mr Kensington had seen video clips of her performances and followed her progress on South African Idols and South African Popstars and when he met her in person ,the mogul was so impressed by the young starlet’s talent that after a five-hour meeting which included an intense 14 song showcase with her.

Zena was signed to Invincible Records . Zena plans to be the first female mega-star to come out of South Africa and Ghana. “I want to represent Africa as a whole”.

With such a great team behind her, the future for Zena looks very bright! CEO, of the Urban Music Awards, Jordan Kensington added “ I instinctively knew Zena was destined to become a global superstar but what made me more certain was her versatile talent, faith, believe, and tenacity in pursing her ambition. I have always known that Africa has some very talented musicians who if given a global platform will exceed to become household names worldwide and inspire many to see a much more bright, vibrant and successful side to Africa. Zena, is one artist who is set on becoming a global superstar and an ambassador to Africa worldwide”.

This week, saw the release of her first video under Invincible Records , the single entitled ‘Number 1’ featuring her label boss Experiment (aka Jordan Kensington).

The video has already attracted over 35,000 views online after just 2 days and with the single out on global chart release on the 1st of October 2012, the demand for her has skyrocketed. She is set to perform at the UK’s biggest Television Awards ceremony, the National Reality Television Awards on the 30th of August 2012 and has added 34 more dates to her European tour commencing in September with plans to tour Africa from December right through to the first quarter of 2013.