Entertainment
Yaw Sarpong leads all stars in peace song
Iconic Ghanaian musician, Yaw Sarpong is leading a campaign for unity ahead of the December polls by collaborating with some prominent Ghanaian artistes on a peace song.
According to him, the song is aimed at sensitising the citizens to be peaceful as the general elections beckon.
Speaking at the launch of the song held at the premises of Think Media Expert, a key partner of the project at North Kaneshie in Accra, Yaw Sarpong said the song was recorded during the 2000 elections when he had returned from Liberia.
He said that considering the seeming tension characterising this year’s elections, his management led by Nana Kobo and Nana Poku Ashis, decided to bring other artistes on the song to tweak it to suit the current times.
As a result, Pat Thomas, Cynthia of Daughters of Glorious Jesus fame, CSP Kofi Sarpong, Fameye, Kuami Eugene, Lord Morgan, Bernice Ansah, Akwaboah, Joyce Blessing, Eno Barony, Bessa Simon and Wutah Afriyie are featured.
He told this paper that all the artistes wholeheartedly accepted to be on the song without taking any monetary reward, a gesture, he believes must be commended.
“I did not encounter any problem when I reached out to them, none of them demanded even GHC1, they proved to me they have a lot of love for Ghana, which is highly commendable,” Yaw Sarpong said.
Recounting his Liberia experience he said that election violence was something one should never encourage, adding that “it derails a country’s progress.”
He said that his team was exploring the possibilities of staging a concert for all the artistes on the song to perform ahead of the general elections.
Other musicians who were at the launch with their solidarity messages also called on Ghanaians to remain peaceful before, during and after the elections.
Sadiq Abdulai Abu and Fred Kyei Mensah, who represented the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) respectively added their voices to the call for peace which the country needs to enhance development.
The song is currently available on all digital music stores.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Entertainment
TGMA unveils nominees this Saturday
The air is electric in Ghana’s music scene as the long-anticipated nominee announcement for the 26th Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) is nearly here.
Music lovers should mark their calendars for Saturday, March 15, when the nominees will be revealed live on TV3 and across the Ghana Music Awards official social media channels.
This year’s nominations promise to be some of the most competitive yet. After weeks of submissions and meticulous deliberations, music fans across the country will finally learn which artists and groups will be contending for the highly coveted awards.
The Road to the Nominees Announcement
It all began on January 21, 2025, when nominations officially opened for the TGMA. Artists and groups had until 16th February to submit their works released between January 1, and December 31, 2024.
The response was nothing short of phenomenal, with over 1,500 entries pouring in from more than 130 talented artists and groups—a true testament to the dynamic and ever-growing nature of Ghana’s music industry.
The Deliberation Process
Once the deadline passed, an expert panel of industry insiders and stakeholders rolled up their sleeves for the daunting task of sifting through the entries.
The review process was thorough, with each submission evaluated based on a set of specific criteria to ensure only the most deserving artists and groups made it onto the shortlist.
The final selections were validated by the TGMA board and key industry players, ensuring transparency and fairness every step of the way.
The Big 5 Categories: The Showstoppers
While every category brings its own set of thrills, the Big 5 awards are the ultimate crown jewels. These prestigious categories will be revealed live on TV3 on Saturday, 15th March, it includes; Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Telecel Most Popular Song, New Artiste and Artiste of the Year.
The Telecel Ghana Music Awards: Celebrating Excellence
The Telecel Ghana Music Awards play an essential role in showcasing and celebrating the best of Ghana’s musical talent. By recognizing excellence, the awards inspire artists to reach new creative heights while fueling the growth of the industry.
They also serve as a unifying force, bringing together artists, industry leaders, and music lovers in a shared celebration of Ghanaian music.
With Ghana’s top artists and groups battling it out for the prestigious honors, the anticipation is at an all-time high. As the music industry continues to evolve, the TGMA remains a true benchmark of excellence.
Entertainment
Ghana need industry bank to fund talents — Rocky Jigga
Ghanaian UK-based afrobeat singer, Emmanuel Rocky Gyeniaw Jnr known in entertainment circles as Rocky Jigga has expressed the need for an industry bank to fund talents.
According to him, this will help Ghanaian musicians to compete effectively with their foreign counterparts.
Rocky Jigga believes that many talented musicians have coiled back into their shells due to funding challenges.
“There’s more room for improvement. The industry needs more investors from both the government and private sector at large. We need an industry bank that funds talents, events and everything entertaining,” he said.
Rocky Jigga recently released ‘Slow Down,’ featuring Ball J.
The song which came with its video was produced by B Boat and it emphasised a man’s preference for an ideal woman irrespective of the size.
