Ghanaian creative Emmanuel Whajah relives working with Burna Boy on European tour

Ghanaian-German photographer and videographer Emmanuel Whajah worked with Burna Boy during his concert in Berlin and he has described the experience as exciting…

Emmanuel Whajah, the founder of the creative agency ‘Play The Game’, was part of the team that documented Burna Boy’s most recent European tour.

The Nigerian music superstar took his tour of Europe to Germany, where he sold out the Mercedes-Benz Area in Berlin on December 9, 2023.

While Burna Boy shut down the venue with his energy and elegance on stage, Whajah and others worked behind the scenes to ensure the whole experience was documented in photos and videos.

In a Q&A, Whajah, who was earlier this year recognised by Forbes Africa in its 2023 30 Under 30 list, opened up on working with the Grammy award winner, the role he played, how he got the gig and other key learnings:

Did you ever imagine working with Burna Boy when you started your career?

Tell them I always knew that I would have the chance working with him and his team and I wrote down a note couple years ago that no matter what I would get the chance to work with him one day so I spoke it into existence and now see what god did and I even work twice with him back in 2019 and now 2023!

How did it feel working with Burna Boy?

It was incredible the energy he exudes and the atmosphere around him makes working with him even more fascinating and exciting. Also, his whole team were mega warm and welcoming. He definitely knows what he wants and how he wants to surprise his fans.

What was your role and did you feel any pressure?

I had the task of filming the best moments of the show and editing them together for the agency and team. I was a one-man show alongside his other videographers and photographers, it was great fun to experience this up close.

On the pressure bit, not at all. I have been doing this for 10 years and know exactly how to work as I am very focused and nothing stops me once I get the task.

How did this big opportunity come your way?

The agency Burna Boy works with contacted me again this year, just like in 2019, only this time I was there privately at the show in Berlin with the M.I.K Family, the well-known TikTok dancers.

And we were invited backstage to Burna Boy and there I was asked if I would like to film the next show. So I said yes, which was very stressful because I didn't have my equipment with me in Berlin so I had to drive three hours home and three hours back to Cologne to film the show. Of course people don't realize how stressful these jobs can be!

How did you feel after meeting Burna Boy face to face?

It was an honor to meet him face to face, he was super likeable and affectionate even though he was performing a huge show and was probably tired.

Backstage we had a great time with some footballers like Denis Zakaria, Sebastien Haller and Thomas Meunier and took pictures and laughed and talked a lot.

How easy or difficult is it to work with a mega superstar like Burna Boy?

It is actually quite easy if you know how to deal with such megastars. At the end of the day, they are just people who want to be treated with respect. So you should always put yourself in their shoes to understand what's going on around them.

What is the behind-the-scenes like at a Burna Boy concert?

It is very organized and his team consists of family, his mother is his second hand and manager so to speak, and takes care of everything and everyone follows her.

African food is eaten backstage – Jollof rice, chicken, everything is there to make everyone feel at home.

I can only say that it didn't feel like work and it was great fun getting to know everyone personally and working with them. I can't wait to see what happens next!

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