Johnnie and AJ on the jinxed VGMA red carpet
Some people think the red carpet is the most interesting part of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards.
Every year, many people sit behind their television sets or go on social media to see who wore it well and who wore it worse as the “stars” arrive on the red carpet to be asked “who are you wearing?” by the hosts.
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Especially in these days of Twitter and Facebook, the responses to what people wear to the VGMA are always very interesting. There are those who find everything wrong with everyone’s attire and there are those who have one or two good things to say about what they see on the red carpet.
Another aspect of the red carpet that generates a lot of talk has to be the people inviting the so-called celebrities onto the red carpet and asking them about who sewed their attires for them. The hosts of the VGMA red carpet have become a legendary part of the whole show.
Amidst the glitz, glamour and razzmatazz that the VGMA in general and the red carpet in particular comes with, is the goofs and excellence that characterises some of the people who end up as the hosts of the VGMA.
Remember when Amanda Jissih became the most trolled person on the red carpet, when as host (with Black Boy Laryea) she wore a dress some people on social media considered should have been worn to a funeral? Was that in 2014?
Or when Confidence was sweating on the red carpet and missing names of the people who appeared for her to interview during the 2012 edition of the VGMA then held at the Dome? It is a very memorable image from the red carpet.
There have been several other hits and misses from others such as Berla Mundi and Elikem Kumordzi. The two hosted the red carpet of the 2017 edition of the VGMA with a good degree of positive feedback. While Berla Mundi has graduated to the main stage where she would host the show with John Dumelo, Elikem has given way.
The new entrants who are going to carry the burden of asking the most important question on VGMA night: “who are you wearing?” are Johnnie Hughes of TV3 and 3FM and AJ Sarpong of Citi FM.
Johnnie Beresford Hughes is the host of New Day on TV3 and host of Community Connect on 3FM, among other programmes. He was also the host of Rundown on TV Africa for a very long time and has been in the media for a while.
Hughes, who also hosted the VGMA 2018 Diaries on TV3 also hosted the 2017 edition of Ghana’s Most Beautiful on TV3 and has been an MC of several events.
AJ Sarpong on the other hand has been a part of the morning show on Citi FM for a while now. She moved there from GhOne where she hosted a few programmes, including Tales From The Powder Room and Revenge Live Chat Show, besides hosting other shows on Live FM.
These are the two people who have been entrusted with the duty of holding the audience’s interest in the red carpet of the 2018 VGMA when it airs exclusively on TV3 and its partner digital and radio platforms.
As the celebs appear with their glitz and glamour, Hughes and Sarpong would be asking them questions about their fashion styles and more.
It is true that both have experience from the industry and from many other such programmes they have hosted. However, the VGMA is not your average show and the red carpet is even worse at ending the careers of very known names in the industry.
It is why many have asked if Johnnie and AJ have what it takes to host the red carpet come Saturday, April 14 at the Accra International Conference Centre from exactly 7pm. Can they do it or are we ready for another disaster on the red carpet? We have only two days to find out.
Meanwhile, the Dumelo and Mundi combination would take over immediately from Hughes and Sarpong and as we have done in the past, we shall look forward to seeing a great show from the two. Would they be able to deliver or will they “kill fire”?
I mean John is a good actor and a very confident fellow and Berla has shown she can hold her own on any platform and so we expect that they will bring out the best in them on the night.
However, the VGMA stage is a poisoned chalice that has ruined many an MC’s reputation.
So we shall be at the AICC to see what would come of the performances from Joe Mettle, MzVee, Efya, Samini, Praye, Akosua Agyepong, Kwesi Arthur, Kidi, Kuami Eugene, Fancy Gadam, King Promise, Sarkodie, Tiwa Savage and Nasty C!
We shall also be there to know who wins what in each of the categories, but above all, just be there to be a part of the biggest event on the entertainment calendar and to rub shoulders with the movers and shakers of the music industry. Where would you rather be?