Veteran Ghanaian music producer, Kaywa, has opened up about the final musical journey of the late Highlife icon, Daddy Lumba, revealing that the singer was deep into recording what would have been his farewell album.
In a recent interview on Starr FM, Kaywa, born David Kojo Kyei, recounted a conversation with Lumba just weeks before his passing. The legendary musician, he said, was determined to create a timeless body of work that would serve as both a personal legacy and a final gift to his fans and family.
“A month ago, he called me and said he wanted to do a timeless project, and that was going to be his last project before he retires. That’s because he has given Ghana back-to-back hits, so this time he wants to do something he can give to his kids,” Kaywa recalled.
Understanding the health challenges Lumba faced, Kaywa decided not to wait for him at a professional studio. Instead, he brought the music-making process to Lumba’s doorstep.
“When he told me that, I said he doesn’t have to come all the way to the studio, I would make myself available at his house. He had a recording studio in his house, too, so I just had to show up, and we started the recording,” he said.
What emerged from those sessions was a striking departure from Lumba’s signature Highlife sound. Kaywa revealed that the artist was intent on pushing his creative boundaries and experimenting with genres rarely associated with his name.
“We did about 27 songs, and they were not like the regular Lumba kind of songs. He wanted to leave his comfort zone. We had Lumba doing Root Reggae, Amapiano, Afrobeats and his regular Highlife,” Kaywa explained.
The project, which now remains unfinished, was to be Lumba’s 34th and final album, a symbol of reinvention, reflection, and a graceful exit from the industry he helped shape.
