Talent manager George Mensah Britton has underscored the crucial role that record labels play in helping musicians achieve global recognition, including winning prestigious awards like the Grammys.
Speaking on The Chat on Channel One TV, George Britton lamented Ghana’s prolonged absence from the Grammy winners’ circle and stressed the need for a more structured music industry that prioritises promotion and marketing, rather than focusing solely on raw talent.
During the discussion, George Britton referenced the recent success of Nigerian singer Tems, who won the Best African Music Performance award at the 67th Grammy Awards.
Tems’ victory placed her ahead of fellow Nigerian nominees such as Burna Boy and Yemi Alade, and other artistes.
George Britton pointed out that one of the key factors contributing to Nigerian musicians’ Grammy successes is the presence of well-structured record labels and music executives who actively invest in promotion and marketing.
He argued that Ghanaian musicians are equally talented but lack the industry infrastructure to push their music beyond local borders.
According to George Britton, the issue in Ghana is not a lack of talent but rather the absence of strong industry backing. He compared the Ghanaian music industry to Nigeria’s, noting that while Ghana focuses heavily on talent, Nigeria invests significantly in music promotion and marketing.
“The problem is not the talent because in Nigeria, there are music executives who invest in promotion and marketing but in Ghana, what we focus on about is the talent. In Ghana, the only time a musician is mentioned is when they are present. The guys with Tems for example, they are very active and present in the United States.”
With Tems’ Grammy win serving as an inspiration, there is hope that Ghanaian artistes and industry players will take cues from Nigeria’s model, fostering an environment where artistes are supported not just locally, but on the global stage as well. Whether Ghana can make the necessary adjustments to finally break into the Grammy winners’ circle remains to be seen, but the conversation around structured music promotion is certainly gaining momentum.
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