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Ghanaian musician, Kwabena Kwabena, has bemoaned how negative news is affecting the music business in the country.
He stated in an interview with Nana Yaw Gyebi, host of Adwumapa Mbre on Connect 97.1 FM that musicians face a lot of challenges.
The ‘Asor’ hitmaker said the attacks on new artistes are too much.
“It looks as if the industry doesn’t have room to actually push new talent or push people who need support. In recent times, the attacks on new artistes are too much. I have been in that position before and I know how it feels like to be struggling to find your fate in the industry, wanting to be a household name and recording a new song. It comes with a lot of stress, and then you go on an interview, and the outcome is negative. It’s worrying and a very big challenge,” he posited.
According to him, interviewers have a huge task to make interviews delectable and attract investors.
“If an investor is listening to an interview and the conversation is not pleasant. The conversation is not something good and propelling and pushing the artist. It makes life difficult for the artist. We should cut all controversies surrounding artistes, especially on the radio.”
He claimed that most news reports defame artistes.
“The problem is that our cherished consumers(listeners) are ready to support us. We have a certain wing in the media, the so-called gatekeepers of this industry. They sell unpleasant news about the artiste. 80% of the news or reportage is to defame an artiste. We have the whole world watching everything we do in our country because of the internet. And then you get presenters doing their programmes and running down the artistes who are investing in their craft. The way we present the face of the Ghanaian music industry or the Ghanaian artiste needs to change. The perception that negative news sells must stop. I think it’s time to stop it because positive news brings the money, negative news kills the business.”
Kwabena Kwabena added: “We have to let the industry look attractive because that’s the only way we can attract business. That’s how it works. Before our structures can work effectively, we need to keep our house in order. Let’s be mindful of how we present and hold our artistes. Kidi, Kelvin boy, Mr Drew, Kwame Eugene, Black Sherif, Jackie, and Camidoh are breaking records and doing well. What is left for us to do is give them the utmost support. It has to be an agenda. We cannot find anything wrong with them. If we set that agenda and understand that these are our new breeds and all we can do is push them to the highest level, we will see something different.”
