#GhMusicWednesdays is ‘a good look’ for the music industry - DJ Masta Jay

The initiative #GHMusicWednesdays introduced by LIVE FM to support the craft of Ghanaian musicians is “long overdue” but “a good look” for the music industry says DJ Masta Jay.

Jay, who is the DJ for Lifestyle Café, the station’s mid-morning show believes that the initiative started at the right time.

“I think it’s long overdue because Ghanaians have been crying about Ghanaian music not getting enough airplay on radio so it was on course. It was at the right time. I think it was overdue and was a good look. We were all excited.”

He added that he makes a conscious effort to dedicate 30% of his playlist to music by talented upcoming artistes, who ordinarily wouldn’t get airplay on mainstream radio.

The Adabraka-based station announced on August 17 this year that its playlist on Wednesdays will be dedicated to strictly Ghanaian music for 24 hours. In a release, the station stated that the initiative was its way of stepping up its support and promotion of the Ghanaian music industry

Antoine Mensah, Programmes Manager disclosed that the response to the initiative has been overwhelming and one that musicians and the industry appreciate.

“From the musicians, they appreciate it and say it’s a good step. Everyone is asking ‘why can’t you do it more often?’ For now, we’ve started on Wednesdays, we will continue doing that,” says Mensah.

“We actually want to take it to the next level where we do a special feature of Ghanaian artistes, especially upcoming artistes every Wednesday.”

He revealed that the station is working on increasing the repertoire of Ghanaian music and also including more alternative music in the DJs playlist based on feedback from the recording artistes and also listeners. Also, a call for music by acts who want to be featured on the station will be made soon.

Mensah welcomes the idea of other stations including competing brands ‘copying’ the initiative.

“I tell you honestly from my end, that’s one thing I’m hoping for. Because at the end of the day beyond being in competition, beyond being with a radio station that pioneers these things, I also want it to be a win for the Ghanaian music industry. So if we’re doing it on Wednesdays, another station is doing it on Thursdays and another is doing same on Fridays, it’s great for all of us.”

In spite of the success chalked so far, there seems to be an irritating issue.

“Artistes need to send edited versions of their songs to the radio stations. If they do that with the TV/Radio stations outside Ghana, why can’t they do the same here?” asks Masta Jay.