Conflict of interest is the main reason Gospel acts suffer for sponsorships – Piesie Esther

Piesie Esther has noted that lucrative sponsorship is a thorny matter when it comes to Gospel music.

She said ultimately, a conflict of interest is the major reason Gospel musicians seem to struggle with receiving or accepting sponsorship.

The Waye Me Yie (He’s Prospered Me) hitmaker was speaking to Nana Romeo on Accra 100.5 FM’s Ayekoo Ayekoo, on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.

The singer-songwriter shared “explanations I have heard people give, and which I have carefully observed is true” regarding the struggle for sponsorship deals for Gospel musicians.

“In some instances, the sponsor markets alcoholic beverages and so if they bring alcohol to me Piesie Esther to advertise I cannot do it,” she cited. “I cannot advertise for an alcoholic product.”

Given the fact that a business operates for profit, the Gospel star said she is not in the habit of entertaining businesses or products she knows she cannot help market.

“Unlike Hiplife which is open to anything kind of sponsorship, Gospel musicians cannot endorse just anything at all,” the multiple award-winner said.

This is one of the major bottlenecks for sponsorship in the Gospel music fraternity, she said.

According to Piesie Esther, “recently, a certain lottery company” contacted her and persistently tried to “convince me” to accept their sponsorship but she declined.

“The name of the company was going to be counterproductive to my work,” she noted.

She said what keeps her in check regarding these mouthwatering but thorny sponsorship offers is not just her Christian conscience but also “what others will say”.

She affirmed that sponsorship avenues are available but the nature of said sponsorship is often taboo to Gospel music.

Piesie Esther emphatically said she can never advertise for companies that produce and or market “alcohol, lottery and condoms”.

She bemoaned these are ironically the companies with the deep pockets.

Marketing for sex enhancement products, “are another wahala [problem],” she said, adding that she is, however, open to marketing for period products for women because “that’s normal”.

Explaining why she stays away from endorsing sex enhancers, she said: “Some clients may want you to be explicit in your endorsement but some things are too heavy for my mouth to utter.”

Esther won the ultimate award, Artiste of the Year, at the 2023 Ghana Music Awards: Europe, which happened in France.

Her latest offering has become an instant hit. Produced by Nacee, the five-day-old song is titled Mo (Well done).

Watch the video featuring media stars Nana Ama McBrown and KMJ below: