Music revenue remains a major challenge for artistes in Northern Ghana, according to musician Fasetwo, who says many performers continue to struggle to receive fees that reflect the value of their work.
Fasetwo, known in real life as Godwin Abakuri Bazentum, said the situation is gradually improving as audiences begin to appreciate music as a business, but artistes still face resistance when negotiating performance fees.
Speaking in an interview, he said event organisers sometimes question the amounts charged by local musicians because they are from the same community, making it difficult for artistes to earn sustainable incomes from their work.
“It becomes a very, very difficult thing to get,” Fasetwo said, describing the situation as particularly challenging in the region.
He contrasted the situation with his experience in Burkina Faso, where he said organisers and audiences are more willing to pay artistes according to their perceived value.
“Especially when we go to the Burkina side, they are willing to pay any amount you charge because they know your worth,” he said.
Fasetwo believes the growing appreciation of the commercial value of music among audiences in Northern Ghana could help improve the situation for artistes in the region.
Despite the financial difficulties, he said passion and consistency have kept him in music for nearly 17 years.
The musician began his career around 2008 while he was a student and gained confidence in his abilities after a song he recorded while in senior high school became popular in Bawku.
He has since won several awards, including the Upper East Music Awards Artiste of the Year twice consecutively, as well as Producer of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year.
Fasetwo said the recognition has encouraged him to remain committed to his craft despite the economic challenges.
“If we are going to base on just what I get from music, I would have left music a long time ago, but the passion and then consistency kept me moving,” he said.
