Stephanie Benson is a Uk-based Ghanaian International singer and a performer rooted in jazz music. In Ghana, she is called the queen of jazz.
She is 54 years old and was born on 16th August 1967 in Ghana, to the late Mr. Samuel Benson Agyapong, a Ghanaian pharmacist and the late Nana Boahemah II, who was a Queen mother in the Ashanti region. Stephanie is the senior sister of highlife musician Akosua Agyapong.
She is also a wife married to an English man named Jonathan Paul Benson and a mother with five children, three beautiful ladies, and two handsome gentlemen. Stephanie Benson owns a chocolate shop with her husband located in The Pantiles, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Stephanie Benson began playing the piano at the age of three. At age eight, she enrolled at the National Academy of Music, where she learned to play the violin and cello.
She moved to London at age 14, after her father’s death, and continued playing the piano under the care of her uncles in a nightclub until she got her residency, where she was spotted by British pop mogul Pete Waterman, owner of Pete Waterman Limited (PWL), who offered her a contract with his label. She recorded her first single, “Now is the Time,” placing her in the top 20 on the UK dance charts.
Stephanie Benson, after her contract with PWL ended, collaborated with artists like Stevie Wonder, Wayne Vaughn (Earth Wind and Fire), Rob Davis (Kylie Minogue), Terry Britton (Tina Turner), Andy Hill (Bucks Fizz), and Danny Schogger (Celine Dion).
Benson Entertainment Production Institute (BEPI) was established in April by Stephanie Benson to groom potential stars of Ghanaian talent in all fields. The first performance of students from BEPI was in 2014 at +233 Jazz Bar and Grill, Accra.
She underwent surgery for breast cancer, a situation she described as shocking when she was diagnosed on 29th October 2015. She revealed that she lost her grandmother, mother, and other female relatives to the disease. Following her survival, she trained to do a mountain walk in France on 1st September 2016 with the Dutch “Singing for your Life” team to raise funds for cancer research and mobile mammogram unit for Ghana, and support for the Dutch Cancer Society.
She held a women’s gathering on 19th March 2016 centered on her fight against breast cancer where she publicly talked about surviving breast cancer after undergoing a total of 28 hours of surgery within three days.
She released her song titled “Dear Lord” at this event, which was attended by notable women including Nana Ama McBrown, Michelle McKinney-Hammond as well as singers Akosua Agyapong, Irene Logan, Yaa Yaa, and Becca.
3Foundation named Stephanie Benson as brand ambassador to lead a campaign on breast cancer awareness. Funds were raised to help and support women to undergo surgeries.
Stephanie Benson has entertained celebrities and high-profile personalities at public and private events, including the British royal household and Prince Charles who said she was the most amazing performer he has ever seen. Benson has performed at events hosted by the British royals, including Princess Anne, and reportedly exceeded her 15-minute allotted performance time for Prince Charles to approximately an hour because he enjoyed her act.
She also performed for Prince William before his wedding to Kate Middleton on 29th April 2011.
After getting involved in a car accident on 22nd April 2014, she released a gospel single titled “My Prayer” to thank God for saving her life.
Some albums she released since moving back to Ghana include;
- Different Kind of Heaven
- What are you doing with your life
- Friend
- Dear Lord and I am worth it.
Check out her photos below.
