BIOGRAPHY

'Stephanie Benson' is the daughter of Queen Nana Boahemaah II, who was, until her death, the reigning monarch of Ahenema Kokobin in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Instrumental in Ghana acquiring its independence in 1957, Stephanie's father, Samuel Benson Adjepong, was in the foreground of the country's first democratic election, when Nkrumah became president. Stephanie's birth name is Princess Akua Ohenewaah Asaenim Akotocyre Akasuhemaah of Ahenemah Kokobin.

From her earliest memories, Stephanie's life was full of people. Positions in the royal household were (and are) widely sought-after and the staff who attended Stephanie and her family were faithfully diligent and attentive. Constantly being watched over, Stephanie and her sisters and brothers were never allowed to leave the family grounds unaccompanied. Affectionate by nature, Stephanie admits that she sometimes suffered from loneliness. "When my mother became Queen, we were not allowed show affection in public, talk directly to her or call her mum. She was constantly busy with ceremonies and official dinners, which, at times, I found quite difficult to handle," says Stephanie.

A pharmacist and businessman by profession, Stephanie's father, in the evenings, would play the piano to his children to calm them down before bedtime. At 3, Stephanie first began studying the piano. At 8, she was sent to the National Academy of Music, where she also learned to play the violin and cello.

Beginning when she was 10, Stephanie and her sister, Belinda, spent their term breaks away from their Ghanian boarding school, in Bern, Switzerland, attending finishing school. They were accompanied by their father on these trips. This continued for two years.

At 14, following the death of her father, Stephanie was sent to Britain to live with her uncle, who became her legal guardian. Living under his watchful eye, what first looked like the ideal place to have more freedom, turned into the complete opposite. Her uncle took his responsibilities very seriously and intended to keep the same, if not more, vigilant standards over Stephanie's upbringing that her parents had afforded her. In a strange twist of fate, Stephanie found herself once again living in a beautiful mansion, with no friends and, worst still, no sisters to play with. As a result, she focused her energies on the piano.

Sadly, in 1994, Stephanie was told her mother was ill with cancer. Although she had been battling the disease for eight years, the Queen waited until three months before her death to tell her daughter. Says Stephanie: "I watched my mother battle and die of cancer. It was the most painful, devastating time of my life. She was a very private person. Her job was incredibly demanding and yet she was so well respected, generous and amazing at solving problems. I always felt I could never live up to that legacy‚"

Although Stephanie considers her mother the central role model of her life, she always knew she wanted a different life for herself ‚ one with freedom, close friends, and one where she could hug her children anywhere. Moreover, something else gave Stephanie time to pause and consider her possible future as monarch. Every female member of her family who became Queen died of cancer at the same age of 48. This included her great-grandmother, her grand mother, her mother and two aunts. It might be coincidence, but Stephanie wasn't willing to find out.

Stephanie's singing career began on a lark at the famous Stringfellows nightclub. Invited for a night out with a girlfriend, Stephanie noticed, as she walked in, a woman performing to a piano. She and her girlfriend sat and listened for a while. Naturally it would have been rude to go over and ask if she would allow her to play. But then Stephanie caught sight of Peter Stringfellow, the club's owner. She immediately walked over, introduced herself and asked if she could play and sing. To her delight, he said yes. After listening to a few of Stephanie's songs, he hired her on the spot.

Three months later Peter Waterman heard her sing in the club and signed her to his label, PWL. Stephanie signed a three album deal with PWL to record pop/dance music. Although she loves all kinds of music, that particular genre was not her first or even second love. But she was willing to give it a try. Her first single, 'Now is the Time,' went straight to a top 20 position on the UK dance charts. Stephanie began a promotional tour across Europe. Half way through the tour, Stephanie began to ponder the very real possibilty that she might end up singing dance music for the rest of her career -- something that left her with mixed feelings. She wanted the freedom to sing other types of music. So she decided to leave her label and began to write the kind of music she enjoyed listening to. She began to collaborate with other writer/artists including Andy Hill (Buzz Fizz), Terry Britton (Tina Turner) Danny Scrogger (Celine Dion), Wayne Vaughn (Earth Wind and Fire) and among others. She also continued to perform live.

Since that time, Stephanie has come to be regarded as one of the most sought after live performers in Britain. Across the UK and Europe, she plays to packed houses. And she hasn't lost her royal touch, regularly playing to Britain's royal family, including HRH Prince Charles, who, the first time he heard Stephanie perform, told her, "You are one of the most amazing performers I've ever seen".

When Stephanie isn't performing or working with one of the many charities she supports, she makes her home in the U.K. with her husband and five children.