Eight years after Senegambia was formally introduced to Awa Jongo aka Awa Gambie, the teen singer is all grown up and preparing to drop her debut album soon.

Awa is now over 20 years old. In a recent interview with VM International, she disclosed that shortly after her appearance on TFM's Sen Petit Galle show, she took a little hiatus from music to focus on school.

"The music industry is very dark. what I mean by it's very dark is not everybody who's giving you a helping hand is actually giving you a helping hand. Some are there for their own interest. I got that experience," she said.

Awa was recently among the finalists at the maiden edition of Africell's Be a Star on GRTS. She went viral with her performance of Rebellion D Recaller's We Must Rebel.

Her manager, Ali Wally said the former teen star is now poised to be the country's next big star.