VGMA Board not fair to us - Gospel musicians
Ghanaian gospel artistes feel slighted by the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) Board’s decision not to consider any works for the Gospel Album of the Year category for this year’s awards.
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In the opinion of the gospel artistes, the decision by the Board is a further indication of how gospel music is perceived when it comes to such activities.
They are particularly unhappy that contrary to VGMA’s own criteria, not many people met the requirement for the other categories, but those awards are up with nominations.
According to the explanation given by the Board last week, the Gospel Album of the Year could not be part of this year’s event because no gospel album contained at least three hit songs.
Speaking with some gospel musicians last Friday at the VGMA Nomination Party held at the Kempinski Hotel, Accra, they told Showbiz the Gospel Album of the Year should not have been taken out if the VGMA Board maintained the Album of the Year category.
According to them, no artiste nominated in the Album of the Year category has at least three hit songs on his or her album so why the favouritism?
Patience Nyarko who is nominated in Gospel Song of the Year and Gospel Artiste of the Year categories, said “as far as I am concerned no artistes in Ghana had three hit songs on an album in the year under review so I am surprised the VGMA Board did not see that but took out Gospel Album of the Year. The Board has not been fair to us at all” she said.
According to Kofi Gyan of Yoboyo Sotoyo fame, gospel musicians are always side-lined and this is enough evidence to show for that. “The only artiste who had more than three songs blazing at the same time in the year under review is Shatta Wale who unfortunately was not even nominated.
“Shatta Wale is the only artiste I know who had three major hit songs namely Kakai, Chop Kiss and Mahama Paper. If he is not on the nominations list, then there shouldn’t have been Album of the Year too” he said.
On her part, Mary Owusu who was also nominated in Gospel Song of the Year believes the VGMA Board should have maintained Gospel Album of the Year category.
According to her, gospel artistes deserve more slots. “ It is not fair for gospel to have only two categories when there are over 20 categories.