Gospel musician, Kofi Sarpong
Popular gospel musician, Kofi Sarpong has challenged the notion that ‘branding’ should be exclusive to secular artistes.
According to him, gospel music deserves the same calibre of image and brand-building as secular music.
In a recent interview with Graphic Showbiz, Kofi Sarpong argued that the standard of dressing and other forms of expression imposed on gospel artistes are too strict.
He pointed out that the gospel music industry in the country seems to be lagging behind because it has not been made appealing to the audience.
“It’s very difficult to talk about these things without being wrongly labelled but I think we need to let people understand that times are changing and if we continue to hold Ghanaian gospel artistes to certain standards, the sector will dearly pay for it.
“For me, I think it’s disheartening that while secular artistes are inventing new ways of making their music attractive, building their images and making their brands strong, the Gospel music industry seems to be crawling on its knees," he stated.
Sarpong pointed out that the digital age has transformed how people engage with music and spirituality, citing online church services as an example of this shift.
“Times are changing, and that is why now people even hold online church services. Some people may not have been to their church even after the COVID-19 pandemic but they fellowship online every Sunday,” he said.
He argued that gospel artistes must be able to capture the audience's attention with compelling branding to effectively convey their message, regardless of the audience's religious background.
“This should tell us that the world is not static, it’s dynamic and those days when Gospel artistes were thought to be ‘colo’ are long gone. Besides, we can’t assume that Gospel music audiences are all Christians or God-fearing so you need to get their attention first before even getting your message across.
“So in the case where the audience doesn’t even find you worthy to pay attention to because you lack certain things he/she is looking for, how do you make progress?” he questioned.
The conversation around gospel artistes' branding, particularly regarding their attire, has been a topic of debate, with some suggesting it overshadows the spiritual message.
However, Sarpong emphasised the importance of evolving with the times and shedding outdated perceptions of Gospel music as inferior in value.
He called for a balance where artistes maintain their spiritual message while also embracing modern branding strategies to stay relevant and impactful.
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