Sony Music holds networking event in Accra
Gameli Hamelo
Events
A Networks event powered by the West African unit of American music company, Sony Music, was held in Accra on New Year’s Eve.
An Executive of Sony Music West Africa revealed exclusively to the Daily Graphic that the event was the first stage of plans by the global music company to set up a world-class studio and also sign music talents in Ghana.
Currently the world’s second largest record company, Sony Music has signed deals with African artistes including Nigerians Davido, Ycee and Wizkid and South African rapper AKA.
The founder of 3Music Awards, Sadiq Abdulai Abu; manager of rapper Manifest, Fui Tsikata; rappers Ko-Jo Cue and Kirani Ayat, and other stakeholders in the Ghanaian music industry attended the event hosted by The Woods Lounge at Osu in Accra.
Ghanaian singer and songwriter, AmaaRae moderated a panel of experienced music professionals including Ghanaian music video director, David Nicol-Sey; Executive VP of A&R, RCA Records,Tunji Balogun; American music journalist Stephanie Smith-Strickland and General Manager, Music & Editorial, TRACE West Africa Lanre
Masha to discuss how to get music by African artistes on the international music scene.
The panellists also spoke about the digitisation and marketing of African music on a global scale.
YFM presenter Kojo Manuel hosted a question and answer session with Nigerian artiste, Davido about his deal with Sony Music and the impact on his career so far.
Nigerian-American multi-hyphenate, Amarachi Nwosu, curator of the event and team leader of Melanin Unscripted, a media agency, spoke about the importance of the event in an interview with the Daily Graphic
“I think what Ghanaian artistes can take away from this, is communication.
Great ideas come when we communicate, I think more conversations need to be had. Mentorship is necessary, that is why this event is taking place.
Great ideas come when we communicate, I think more conversations need to be had. Mentorship is necessary, that is why this event is taking place.
“This is access that people don’t always get but what you take from this is that ‘okay there is a structure you can learn from.’ We need to build our own community, we need to have our own conversations for evolution to take place.
“A lot of it is lack of information and I think once that gap is bridged, then comes action and through action you build community,” she shared.
She also commended Ghanaian artistes for “creating an incredible sound” that “is almost nostalgic because I love that artistes here (Ghana) always try to find a way to integrate traditional sounds.”