Jennifer Tania Takoh, known as T'neeya, is a polyglot who sings in Pidgin, English and French, encapsulating her varied national and cultural existence. Born in Cameroon, educated in Germany, and now living in Ghana, T'neeya dips in and out of various languages and dialects that offer a fusion blend of Afrobeats, neo-soul and R&B. 

If you can catch a glimpse of T'neeya's voice, you will hear a passionate, soulful sound that will captivate you into a nuanced realm of sweet and sour emotions. Take her 2018 single, "Low Battery", for instance. The recurring line "My love is finished tonight" underpins a feeling of heartbreak and emotional labour that juxtaposes the endearing address of "Baby", which shows the complicated nature of love and loss. Her debut project, "In Her Feelings", was released last summer and presents a continuation of this complex emotional state. AMAKA sat down with the multifaceted soul singer to learn more. 

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How would you describe yourself in three words to someone who has never met you?

Wow, I didn't see this question coming. There are so many words to describe myself, it's hard to boil it down to like three words, but I associate myself with being very passionate, creative and fun.

You were born in Cameroon and attended university in Germany. How did your childhood experiences influence your interest in music in particular?

I always knew I could sing from the ages of 6-8 and began producing music at 12 or 13 to vent about what I was going through, like [when I was] disappointed or upset, and I expressed all of that in writing, either poetry music. Growing up in Cameroon was a wonderful experience for me, and music was always a part of my life because I frequently sang in church and competed in music contests. When I was at boarding school, I was even in charge of the choir. As a result, music served as an escape for me. But I only chose a professional path after that, such as when I was at university and had to decide, and I chose music.

So when did you know that you wanted to be a full-time musician?

I believe it happened while I was studying fashion design, and at the time, I had a heartfelt conversation with my father, who encouraged me to pursue my passions. My mother had always supported the arts and that side because I was always drawn to it – thinking, painting, dancing, everything that allowed me to express myself artistically. My father, as an African, was adamantly pro-education. So when I told him I wanted to pursue music, he paused for a moment before telling me to do whatever I needed to do. "I'm rooting for you", [he said]. So, that was a life-changing experience for me at the time. I knew I was an artist from that moment on, and I carried that with me.

Your sound carries a lot of emotion and is a fusion of Afrobeats, neo-soul and R&B. What would you say inspires this?

My sound amalgamates all of my experiences and a wide range of anything that has touched me sonically. I am emotionally tied to my thoughts and feelings, which explains why I sound like I do. As a result, I free-flow between what I feel and communicate that through my music, similar to a direct pipeline. So it's almost as if I'm always ranting or expressing myself to someone.

We've seen Fela Kuti visit Ghana in the past, and now we're seeing a wave of other musicians, like Wizkid and Burna Boy, spend substantial time there. You've been living in Ghana since 2017. What do you think about the nation that attracts artists and tourists?

As you said, artists have been coming here for a very, very long time. So clearly, like there's an energy, but for me, paired with that energy, it's my team. That's what keeps me grounded and motivated and very connected to Ghana. So, I would encourage everyone to come down to the continent and see what's going on, feel the excitement, and experience all of the diverse cultures we have here. Ghana is one of those nations, and I've learnt and grown a lot since living here.

Last year, you made your EP debut with "In Her Feelings". What was the motivation behind this three-track project?

Girl, I was heartbroken. I just needed to vent. That's it, and I was going through it. So it was bittersweet. Experiencing a great thing simultaneously, you're processing something deeper. And I just felt like it just felt right. It wasn't calculated. The three songs felt right. Letting out these emotions, and it turned out to be so beautiful. I understood the power of just going with the flow and my flow specifically. And so I was just like, everything is self-explanatory, from the songs to the title to everything, even from the cover, you can tell what mood I'm in from the records, you can tell what I'm talking about. And that's just what I wanted.

The pandemic took a toll on everybody, and many in-person concerts and intimate gatherings were cancelled. How would you say these circumstances affected you as an artist and individual?

It allowed me so much time to go back to the drawing board, create some new music, find out what I wanted, and take some time to ask myself how to get to the next level, which is to reinvent myself. So many different things inspired you in the pandemic, which drove me insane. But, at the same time, it motivated me, so you'll be hearing a lot of new music from me.

You were nominated for two AFRIMMA awards. How did it feel to be recognised for your efforts, especially as an artist representing Central Africa?

It's an honour for me to represent my nation, Cameroon. It's a delight to be noticed. Thank you to AFRIMMA and all of my followers and supporters who voted for me and continue encouraging me and promoting my music.

So we hear Afrobeats hitting the soundwaves unlike ever before. How do you feel about non-African artists tapping into these sounds without crediting their origins? 

I don't think about it. But if you know, you know, the real sauce. I believe Africa is the future. The new generation of artists are pushing the culture forward and are doing a fantastic job at sounding the trumpet if that is to say, but you know, we're getting a bigger audience. You can't control everything. So, of course, there will always be people trying to. It's been happening for ages. But, like, this is not new. It's about empowering the African artists doing stuff for Africa and just making our voices heard as much as possible.

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What advice would you give to up and coming female artists looking to break into the music scene?

Believe in yourself.

What can we expect to hear from you this year?

You should be looking out for another level of music, I don't want to make the regular music, but now I'm coming to kill it, period. It's now more music and an evolved version of me because my goal is to keep growing. I don't want to stay in the same place. I don't want to release the same product twice, so I'm working on pushing myself. So expect more music and higher vibrations.