By Ishmael Sallieu Koroma
In a small prayer room in Freetown, Sierra Leone, a former radio announcer found himself singing words he had never written. There was no notebook, no studio, no producer. Just a voice and a phone recording.
That man is Midas Max-Conton — trained broadcaster, poet, minister of the gospel, and now, an emerging gospel artist whose first two singles were not composed but received. “Nothing without You was inspired by the Holy Ghost,” Max-Conton says. “It was birthed in prayer.”
For someone who graduated with first-class honours in Mass Communications from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, the shift from announcing continuity on Radio Maria to recording Spirit-led music might seem abrupt. But Max-Conton describes it less as a career change and more as a surrender.
“It is a song that reminds us all that without God, life has no meaning,” he says of his debut track. His second single, I will pray, serves as what he calls “an invitation to experience the divine presence of God.”
Both songs are now available on all major digital platforms, including YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and Boomplay — bringing his prayer-born music to a global audience.
From Brookfields to Makeni
Max-Conton was born in Freetown and attended Saint Anthony’s Primary School on Syke Street, Brookfields, before relocating to the northern city of Makeni. At Saint Francis Secondary School, he rose to Assistant Senior Prefect — a role that demanded poise and responsibility. But his true training in public presence came at the Talking Drum Studio in Makeni, part of Search for Common Ground’s Golden Kids Team. There, he cultivated the art of public speaking and boldness.
“Growing up, I was in church choirs,” he recalls. “I listened to a lot of songs from Vicky Fornah and the late Millicent Rhodes. They helped deepen my faith.” At home, family devotions with his parents kept music woven into daily life. Yet professionally, Max-Conton never imagined he would one day sing into a microphone for the world to hear.
He worked as a continuity announcer for Radio Maria, FM 101.1. His voice was known. His faith was clear. But his singing remained private — until prayer changed that.
‘There Was No Challenge’
When asked about the creative process behind his two singles, Max-Conton offers a surprising answer. “There was no challenge in creating both songs,” he says. “In fact, both songs were birthed in prayer. I was just worshipping God, praising and glorifying His name, when I started singing those two songs to God. I recorded them on my phone immediately after prayers.”
Those raw recordings traveled across borders. Pastor Timothy Joseph Onoja, a Nigerian music producer and founder of Elshaddai Music, had earlier encouraged Max-Conton to consider making music. Max-Conton initially refused. “Weeks after I turned him down, I received the first song,” he says. “Then the second. When God gives you a vision, He always brings the right people to support you fulfill your purpose.”
Onoja produced both tracks from Nigeria. The first, Nothing without You, features the producer as a collaborator. The second, I will pray, is solo — a declaration that Max-Conton now calls his current mindset:
I will pray to the Most High God
I will pray and not faint
I will pray to Yahweh
To the one who was and is and is to come
I will pray, I will pray
He will answer me and rescue me
“It’s God’s desire that mankind stays closer to Him and never pulls back,” he says.
The Cost of Proclamation
Emerging gospel artists in West Africa face steep barriers. Max-Conton does not sugarcoat them. “High costs for social media engagement, studio production of songs, promotion of songs — everything of value has a cost,” he says. “Limited exposure. I was never known as a singer. It takes time for the world to hear the songs God gave me.”
Still, he remains unshaken. “The Holy Spirit is the main promoter of my songs,” he insists. “With time, these songs that He revealed to me will be heard in every nation in the world, restoring the lost back to their faith.”
That confidence is reflected in his artistic approach. “God’s work is a serious work,” he says, “that demands one’s focus, affection, discipline, and integrity. I take every song seriously.”
What’s Next
Max-Conton is already at work on a third single, titled Overcomer, scheduled for release next week on all digital platforms through his distribution company, Offstep. He has not announced an EP or album, but he is open to growth.
“I have had two collaborations so far,” he says. “Yes, I look forward to doing more collaborations with other gospel artists.” His dream list reads like a roll-call of contemporary African gospel royalty: Dunsin Oyekan, Moses Bliss, Pastor Nathaniel Bassey, Ebuka Songs, Judah Zubairu, Frank Edwards, Minister GUC, and Chandler Moore.
When asked if he approaches each track differently, his answer is measured but spirited. “My first song is different from my second song in rhythm, style, and vibe. I think I always look forward to the next song with renewed energy and zeal to proclaim God’s word through music.”
For a man who spent years announcing the work of others, Midas Max-Conton has finally found his own voice — and he insists it was never really his.
“Music is a medium through which the life-giving and transforming power of God’s word is expressed,” he says. “I am very intentional about sharing my faith with others through my songs.”
Fans and new listeners can stream Nothing without You and I will pray on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Boomplay, and all other major streaming platforms.
