UK-based artiste, Joseph Matthew
In response to recent comments made by Nigerian gospel singer Nathaniel Bassey regarding the global success of Ghanaian gospel music, UK-based artiste Joseph Matthew, popularly known as JM, has voiced his disagreement.
In a reaction video shared on social media, JM criticized this perspective, emphasizing that language should not be a barrier to spreading God's message through music.
JM expressed concern about the reactions from some Ghanaian gospel musicians who agreed with Nathaniel Bassey's viewpoint. He challenged the notion that singing in English is necessary for global success, stating that the level of ignorance displayed in supporting such a stance is troubling.
“Now, I'm only reacting to this because I saw other gospel musicians on TV or on social media platforms in Ghana reacting to this. And some of them are saying, "oh, yeah, we need English". And I find that quite concerning…language doesn't matter. Singing in English or singing in Spanish or singing in Bantu or Buntu or Zulu does not matter,” he said.
He stressed that language is not a defining factor in the essence of music. Adding that achieving global success involves more than a language change. He urged fellow musicians to focus on building the right network, securing resources, and implementing effective promotion strategies.
“To go global, you need infrastructures. You need resources. You need money. If you don't have the money, which is what Africa in general is struggling with, we don't have the resources. We don't have the infrastructures. How are you going to go global?” he quizzed.
JM further discussed the significance of infrastructures, resources, and financial backing in going global, citing examples of successful global artistes like Michael Jackson and Burna Boy.
“The people that are going global are the people with the resources behind them. Michael Jackson was Michael Jackson. Not because he spoke in English. Michael Jackson is Michael Jackson because he's Michael Jackson. Because he has Sony records behind him. Burna Boy is doing it globally because he has his record labels behind him. That's what you need. Those giants, the powerhouses behind you. That's what makes you go global,” he said.
Check the video below
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