Stephanie Benson
Enterprising female singer Stephanie Benson has defended her choice of an ‘intriguing’ costume she rocked to the Ghana Music Honours over the weekend.
It was a see-through dress which certainly raised eyebrows and earned some public attention, with some describing it as ‘provocative’ and ‘near-naked’.
But the 49-year-old mother of five insists there was absolutely nothing wrong with the dress and it was the decision of her husband she wore it.
“It wasn’t a naked dress! It is a very beautiful dress that I love and my husband loves it. I love dressing up and I love every kind of outfit…I had like four different dresses that I was considering and my husband chose that one. I took a picture and sent it to him and he said Oh yes wear that one,” Stephanie told Hitz FM.
There is also a divided opinion whether or not Stephanie wore anything beneath the see-through dress.
Stephanie is a sister to Akosua Agyeapong, but not many people know of this relation.
Though Stephanie has spent most of her working life in Europe, she was born and raised in Ghana and she began studying the piano at age three. This early desire to play the piano was a direct result of her father playing the piano in the evenings before bedtime.
At the age of eight, she was sent to the National Academy of Music, where she also learned to play the violin and cello. During these early years, Stephanie developed and honed her musical craft until at 14, when she moved to London, following the death of her father.
Under the watchful eye of her uncle in London, Stephanie channelled her energies on the piano, playing to the extent that she got a residency singing and playing the piano at one of London’s famous nightclubs.
It was during this period that Stephanie was spotted by Peter Waterman who signed her to his label PWL. With PWL, Stephanie released her first recorded single ‘Now Is The Time’, which earned her a top 20 position on the UK dance charts.
After this period, Stephanie started developing her writing skills and began writing and collaborating with other writer/artists, including the likes of Andy Hill (Bucks Fizz), Terry Britton (Tina Turner) Danny Schogger (Celine Dion), Wayne Vaughn (Earth Wind and Fire), Rob Davis (Kylie Minogue), Stevie Wonder, among others.
It was during this period that Stephanie began focusing and developing her live performances as a solo artiste and with a full live band in support. Meanwhile, the Benson Entertainment Production Institute (BEP), a music school owned by Stephanie Benson, is about taking off.
The Benson Entertainment Production Institute (BEP for short), according to her, would comprise of a modern sound recording studio which would be used for training and commercial purposes. The facility also intends to develop professional international theatre standards for musical theatre shows, stage musical concerts, rehearsal space and TV shows.