Ranzie Mensah
Aosta, Aosta Valley, Italy | SELF
Music
Press
This band has no press
Discography
Discography includes:
“THE MUSIC OF THE MOUNTAIN”
“AMAZING GRACE”
"WHO IS WRITING THE FUTURE?” - live in concert
“JUST A DREAM” -new release 2010/2011
Photos
Bio
RANZIE MENSAH was born in Accra, Ghana, as a princess of the Fanti tribe. She is exposed to music from a young age through her father, A. A Mensah, an ethno-musicologist, university research fellow and pianist whose professional engagements took the family to the States, England, Zambia and Uganda.
RANZIE’s DEBUT as a professional singer begins in Ghana where at 15 she forms the popular group, The Mensah Sisters, with older sister Ekua. The duo gains notoriety in Ghana and performs for former president acheampong as well as on national television, radio and various venues. In 1976, Ranzie moves to Ivory Coast where her career takes off after a spectacular performance on the national television RTI with her hit “TOKO ZANI”. She goes on to tour in several West African countries and is a headliner at shows with African legends Salif Keita, Mory Kante, Alpha Blondy, Nayanka Bell, Francois Lougah and more. In 1988, she is featured in the well-received movie, Bouka, directed by Gnoan Roger Mbala and receives the incredible honor to translate Miriam Makeba’s autobiography, published by Les Nouvelles Editions Africaines.
WINNING OVER the hearts of the Italians is a challenge that Ranzie fiercely takes on when she moves to Italy in 1990. She shares the stage with many well-known Italian and international artists such as RICCARDO FOGLI, at a peace concert; RON, at the “I HAVE A DREAM” Martin Luther King tribute concert in Livorno; PAT METHENEY, JIMMY CLIFF, GILBERTO GIL, at a festival in San Severino Marche attended by 20.000 fans. Unforgettable is her 1992 tour of Italy with “the Empress of African Song”, MIRIAM MAKEBA. On a memorable evening in 1999, Ranzie receives a 10 minute standing ovation from a full house at the prestigious Teatro Comunale in Ferrara. In 2005, at the invitation of the mayor of Rome, she thrills an ecstatic crowd of 3000 at the prestigious auditorium, Santa Cecilia. Invited guests include BOB GELDORF, GORBACHEV and several Nobel peace laureates. The successful event is broadcast on national television RAI UNO. She goes on to be featured at the prestigious Teatro Goldoni in Livorno where a national celebration for social welfare welcomes prominent guests such as Italy’s former President, Oscar Luigi Scalfaro and a full house of dignitaries. In the same year, she goes on to tour “A TRIBUTE TO RAY CHARLES” in several theatres in Italy, including San Marino and Ascoli Piceno where Ranzie, her full band and 60 dancers celebrate a giant of modern music to a sold-out audience.
A WORLD TRAVELER, Ranzie Mensah performs at the World Summit on Social Developpement in Copenhagen and at the Summit on Environment in Berlin in 1995. She casts her magic spell on a French audience of 2000 in 1998 at the Théatre de la Mutualité in Paris. They ask her back the following year. Germany is her next stop, where she is invited to EXPO 2000 in Hannover. To rave newspaper reviews and national television coverage, she sings for 10 days at the Global House, the Africa Pavillion and the Christus Pavillion. October 2001, Ranzie jumps on the opportunity to tour the United States and Canada. She graces the stage in Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria (British Columbia), Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego.
RANZIE’S CAREER continues to soar in the following years. Highlights include her appearances on various programs for radio and television in Romania, Africa, France and Italy (RAI UNO, RAI TRE, CANALE 5, Radio Popolare Milano, RAI UNO INTERNATIONAL); a tour in Luxembourg upon invitation of the NGO, Frères des Hommes, where she gives intercultural workshops in several schools for over 200 students and a concert at the auditorium of the Conservatory of Music; a sold-out concert at the historic theatre, Aquila,in Fermo; a concert at the Verdi theatre in Milan and a performance in Bucharest, Romania, at the Opera Theatre on the occasion of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. She also produces and releases several recordings to great acclaim. Discography includes “AMAZING GRACE”, “WHO IS WRITING THE FUTURE?”, “THE MUSIC OF THE MOUNTAIN” and “JUST A DREAM”.
HAILED AS A “PRINCESS FOR PEACE”, Ranzie has been engaged in promoting intercultural learning for the past 15 years both as an artist and a mediator in schools, hospitals, immigration centres and more. She is also a coordinator at the Aosta-based social cooperative “La Sorgente”, where she oversees and manages the activities of over 20 intercultural mediators. In 2009, Ranzie is awarded the Peace Prize by the municipality of Guardia Piemontese (Calabria, Italy) for her dedication and effort in promoting peace and unity through her music.In 2011, she becomes spokesperson for NOPPAW’s (Nobel Peace Prize for African Women) “Africa walks with women’s feet” campaign. She has performed and given public speeches in Alessandria and Ancona. NOPPAW’s aim is to raise awareness of African women’s commitment to all facets of life. She recently pe
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