Nana Kwame Obese is a singer and songwriter based in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada.
My debut project 42A Wexford Street (Before the EP) is available now.
I fuse Ghanaian highlife roots and West African afrobeat with indie folk and Newfoundland rhythms into the signature sound of Borga Blues.
A passionate mental health advocate living with Bipolar II Disorder, his storytelling confronts vulnerability head-on. Whether performing in his custom "Griot" denim jacket—emblazoned with bold ACCRA TO ST. JOHN'S lettering that tells his immigrant story—or curating the monthly Songs and Stories by the Fireside residency at The Battery Café in his home city of St. John’s, Nana anchors his art in deep community connection, carrying forward the momentum of his CBC Radio One features and MusicNL nominations for Global Music Artist of the Year and Rising Star of the Year.
“Home lies not overseas nor where our people reside. True North is neither place, but in the soul deep inside”
“Nana Kwame Obese”
Upcoming Shows
New Project Out Now
Named after his St. John’s home address, the place that gave “his blues its rhythm,” his collection of 3 singles captures a deeply personal narrative of migration, wintry isolation, acoustic reflection and the search for home.
Discography
From traditional highlife and afrobeat rhythms to contemporary indie folk and conceptual song cycles bridging Accra and St. John's, Nana's growing catalog showcases an artist in full command of his craft, anchored by the unique genre fusion of Borga Blues.
Wonsi Me Huu
Following a no-good vagabond and dare-devil on his foolhardy pursuit of love, fame, and a life built across borders, Wonsi Me Huu blends highlife with indie folk evocatively.
Ajele
A haunting exploration of desperate pursuit, unrequited love, and forbidden devotion, drawing mystic inspiration from Amarh Pino and his Ozimzim band's "Maria."
Let Him Cook
A powerful reflection drawing from the stillness of Exodus 14:14, capturing the tension of standing back to let higher forces move.