How Team Eternity overcame obstacles 'Defe Defe' to rise to stardom

In the heart of Ghana, a group of young visionaries began a journey rooted in faith and a shared dream. It all started in the bustling halls of a high school, where Nii Lartey Lartey, a passionate teenager with a profound vision, saw beyond the confines of his surroundings. He believed that music could be a powerful vehicle to convey the timeless message of God's love and eternal salvation to the younger generation.

From those early days, gathering friends from school and church meetings, Team Eternity Ghana was born. What began as a small assembly of dedicated youths soon blossomed into a dynamic gospel music group.

They faced numerous challenges, navigating the complexities of life, but their resolve remained unshaken. They were united by a singular purpose: to spread the gospel through music, breaking boundaries and redefining what gospel music could be.

Team Eternity Ghana, rose to prominence with their latest hit Defe Defe, a powerful testament to their journey and dedication to sharing God's love and eternal salvation through music. Their latest release, Defe Defe, from the Testimony album, is a hip-hop-themed gospel song that highlights the group's message of divine intervention against adversity.

Since its release on May 4, the song has garnered over 1 million streams on YouTube, cementing the group's place in the music industry.

In an interview with Accra-based 3 Music, one of the members shared insights into the group's origins and vision. Our leader, Nii Lartey Larte, had a vision from back in high school. He felt there was a need to preach the message of eternity to the younger generation. We were involved in SU activities during SHS and felt that it shouldn't end once we left school. He brought a few friends together and spoke to people he met at SU events, recruiting those who would help promote the idea. That's when it all actually started.

The member added, He knew he could preach the gospel to the youth through music mainly, but there were other activities like evangelism. The main thing was propagating the gospel, and our stronghold was music. We recorded 'Defe Defe' last year at the Conference Centre, and the song has sold itself from the concert.

Formed ten years ago, Team Eternity Ghana is a blend of vocalists, writers, instrumentalists, composers, and creatives bound by a shared vision to evangelize and spread a message of hope, love, and faith. Since their debut album Extra Baskets in 2017, they have been a prominent fixture in the Ghanaian gospel scene. Their recent single Yes Sir, an unexpected Amapiano hit, marked a significant evolution in their sound. The release of their 2024 album Testimony has divided the conversation on gospel music in Ghana, with Defe Defe currently holding the number one spot on Ghana's Apple Music Top 100 chart.

In an interview with The iMullar Network, the group emphasized the impact of their music beyond the traditional gospel audience.

Ghanaian gospel music has a niche market, and this album has transcended that niche. We are finding people who are not necessarily believers or regular listeners of gospel music who are interested in our work and in the message we are sharing. We have been trying to break the stereotype and be different. There's an Amapiano, choral, and operatic touch to the album. We envision a time when 'Defe Defe' will be played at a club and touch lives in the process.

The group also highlighted their decade-long journey of hard work and improvement.

It’s taken a lot of consistent hard work, keeping at it, and improving ourselves. If you take some of our videos from ten years ago, the quality of the music has drastically improved over time. It’s about committing yourself to the craft, growing, and making sure you are in the will of God. It’s not an overnight thing. If somebody told our president (Nii Larte Lartey) that in a decade, you’d have this level of reach, he would say, 'Oh, Chale, let’s give it like 20 years.' But guess what? God is doing it now. And it’s only because he stuck to the vision. We come together as a team, hold on to that vision, and propagate the gospel, especially to the youth.

Defe Defe has also sparked numerous dance challenges across various social media platforms, with notable figures like Piesie Esther, Celestine Donkor, Afronita, and Berla Mundi participating, further boosting the song's popularity.

Team Eternity Ghana continues to inspire and elevate the gospel music scene, demonstrating the power of perseverance, vision, and faith in overcoming challenges and reaching stardom.

Read Full Story