Efya

1987-2009: Early life, career beginnings, and collaborative album

Jane Fara Fauzzier Afia Boafowaa Yahaya Awindor was born on April 10, 1987, in Kumasi, Ghana. She has two brothers and a sister, and is the daughter of Nana Adwoa Awindor, a filmmaker and talk show host. Efya obtained her secondary education from Yaa Asantewaa Secondary School, and relocated to Accra when her mother enrolled at the National Film and Television Institute. She received voice training from some of her family members at a very young age, and started singing when she was 9 years old. Efya attended the University of Ghana, where she earned a degree in theatre and music.

Efya took part in the first season of Charterhouse's Stars of the Future television show in 2006, finishing third to winner Irene Logan. Following the show's conclusion, both women formed the music duo Irene & Jane after securing a three-year recording contract. They performed at one of Big Brother Africa's eviction shows in 2008, and won Best Female Vocal Performance at the Ghana Music Awards that same year. The duo was nominated for Best Artiste or Group, West Africa at the 2008 Kora Awards and Best Duo or Group at the 2008 Channel O Music Video Awards. They released their 2009 collaborative album Irene & Jane Unveiled, which comprises twelve tracks. The album was primarily written by the duo, along with assistance from Amandzeba Nat Brew and Kwaisey Pee. Irene & Jane Unveiled features guest contributions from Blu*3, Wutah, and Amandzeba Nat Brew.

After her contract with Charterhouse ended, Efya kept recording music and performing live. She changed her stage name from Miss Jane to Efya prior to going solo. In an interview with ModernGhana, Efya said, "When I decided to go solo, it made sense at the time to reinvent myself in every way, I wanted a name that was African and unique but at the same time relevant to me in some way. My manager, Jimmi, helped me come up with the name Efya".

2011-2013: One Nation record deal, T.I.N.T., and notable performances

On April 9, 2011, Efya performed at the Ghana Music Awards, which occurred at the Dome in Accra. She signed a recording deal with One Nation Entertainment that same year. In October 2012, Efya shared the stage with Kojo Antwi, Asem, Ruff & Smooth, D3, No Tribe, and Stonebwoy at the Radio and Television Personality Awards. On February 14, 2013, Efya took part in Richie Mensah's "This is Love" musical performance at the African Regent Hotel. She performed her single "Your Body", which was released on the same day, along with the remix of her "Best in Me" song. At the Hope City Launch Celebration Concert on March 5, 2013, which featured American artist Chris Brown as the main act, Efya joined Samini, D-Black, Sherifa Gunu, and R2Bees. In April 2013, Efya performed at a Capital 98.4 FM music event, which was sponsored by Tusker Brewery and held at Carnivore Restaurant in Nairobi. She took part in the post-African Day Parade concert on September 22, 2013, at Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem.

On Saturday, November 9, 2013, Efya shared the stage with P-Square, MI, Wande Coal, Burna Boy, Edem, Kwabena Kwabena, Asem, and Paapa Yankson at the Globacom-sponsored Slide N Bounce concert series, which kicked off in Kumasi. Her debut mixtape, T.I.N.T, is an acronym for This Is Not The Album. It comprises thirteen tracks and was released for free digital download on November 12, 2013. The mixtape was supported by the singles "Getaway" and "Best in Me", and is composed of songs that were released between 2011 and 2013. In an interview with ARISE magazine, Efya said love is the overall theme of the mixtape and that the record is about "the good, the bad, the ugly, the heartbreak, the pains, the highs, and lows of life". On December 20, 2013, Efya performed at the 2013 edition of the annual Girl Talk concert, which was held at the National Theatre and headlined by Becca.

2016: Janesis, clothing line, and Starboy record deal

Efya's debut studio album, Janesis, was released on April 22, 2016. It was previously scheduled for release at different times between 2013 and 2015, and was postponed multiple times before being released. Janesis examines the universal themes of hate and suffering and include a number of love songs. Efya believes the album draws from her personal experiences, and described it as a compilation project she's worked on over the past three years. Janesis comprises 21 tracks and features collaborations with Stonebwoy, Sarkodie, Bisa Kdei, Mugeez, Ice Prince, and E.L. It explores musical styles such as Afro-soul, R&B, hip hop, neo-soul, Afropop, pop, and ragga. The album was supported by the singles "Life", "Forgetting Me", "One of Your Own", "Gingam Too Much", "Jorley", "Heartbeat", and "Hele Mi". Its production was handled by Legendury Beatz, E.L, Bisa Kdei, KillBeatz, M.A, and Kaywa.

On May 8, 2016, Efya was announced as one of the newly signed acts to Wizkid's Starboy Entertainment. The announcement came following the Nigerian singer's performance at the Ghana Music Awards. Efya was featured on Wizkid's single "Daddy Yo", which appeared on his third studio album Sounds from the Other Side (2017). She told OkayAfrica that the song came about as a result of vibing in the studio with Wizkid.

2017-present: "Until the Dawn", "The One", hiatus, and return

On June 10, 2017, Efya released the reggae-infused track "Until the Dawn", which was produced by Maleek Berry. She launched the clothing line The Native Chic in December 2019. Efya featured Tiwa Savage on her single "The One", which was released in June 2020. Following a significant hiatus, Efya released the singles "Super Super" and "Jara Jara" in May and August 2023, respectively. "Super Super" has been labeled a "feminist anthem". The track "Jara Jara", which translates to "supplemental" in Hausa, combines flirtation and caution. Music in Africa's Gabriel Myers Hansen said both songs "allude to primal highlife" and provide "a twofold solution to the task of modernisation".

In an interview with Danai Mavunga of ARISE magazine, Efya described her sound as Afro-soul with a hint of pop. She said her sound fluctuates depending on how she feels and who she's working with. Efya told ModernGhana that she grew up enjoying highlife and old school jazz. OkayAfrica said the singer has a soulful voice and jazz-inflected artistry. Efya has cited Kojo Antwi, Aretha Franklin, and The Temptations as her key musical influences.

Efya is an official ambassador for the Awal Children of the Future Foundation (ACOTF), a non-profit organization aimed at helping victims of physical and emotional trauma, particularly orphans and street kids. The foundation was founded by record producer Posigee and is composed of eight musical ambassadors, including Sarkodie, Ruff n Smooth, and Yaw Siki. In 2012, ACOTF released the theme song "This is Who I Am", which was written by Chase and produced by Posigee. The foundation donates all of the money raised from the song's digital sale.