Artiste Manager and producer, Nana Poku Ashis
Ghanaian artiste manager and music producer Nana Poku Ashis has waded into the debate over the state of Ghana's music industry.
According to him, many Ghanaian artistes refuse to invest in their craft due to fear of the unknown.
Speaking on the United Showbiz show on September 2, 2023, monitored by GhanaWeb, Nana Poku Ashis argued that many Ghanaian artistes hesitate to invest in their careers or themselves.
They fear venturing beyond their comfort zones and often resist spending money to boost their visibility.
He contrasted this with artistes from other countries, like Nigeria, who readily invest in promoting their work, even paying DJs to play their songs.
He argued that this willingness to invest contributes to their success, while some Ghanaian artistes remain content within their familiar surroundings.
“But our artistes are afraid, they fear investments; they don't want to invest in their craft or themselves. If a Nigerian comes here and is asked to pay a DJ to push their songs, they will do it and get it in return. But if you draft a plan with a Ghanaian artiste to tour a place like Southern Africa they don’t even want to hear you. They are so comfortable with their terrain,” he stressed.
He, however, offered a lifeline, stating that in order to empower themselves and thrive, artistes need to continually improve and engage in collaborations.
He added that they also need to take advantage of the platforms in other countries to push their brand.
“If you want to empower yourself, you have to better yourself, you have to do proper collaborations, the Nigerian space is there, you move there and promote yourself, Gabon is there, and the rest is there. You can go anywhere, champion the cause, and become huge,” he advised.
The music industry expert's observations join the debate on the challenges and opportunities facing Ghanaian musicians.
While many fans and followers criticized artistes for not doing enough to push their brands, many artistes also claimed they weren’t getting enough support from the industry.
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