Ghanaian up-and-coming artist, Kelvin Adjei, also known as Cuando has disclosed that the ‘Artiste of the Year’ at the 2024 Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA), Stonebwoy deserved his win.

In an exclusive interview with the Vaultz News, Cuando revealed that Stonebwoy’s win was because of his massive input into getting to the international stage in the music industry.

“Well, King Promise also deserves it but not like Stonebwoy. Stonebwoy actually worked hard because looking at his album and collaboration, his going up and down, and linking up with DJ Khalid was a top-notch. They both worked hard but Stonebwoy’s was exceptional.”
Cuando

He beat stiff competition from five others namely; Black Sherif, King Promise, Kuami Eugene, Nacee, and Sarkodie to win the award.

While acknowledging King Promise’s undeniable talent, Cuando stressed the necessity of King Promise to collaborate more to boost his exposure.

Cuando stated that AMVCA organization is better than TGMA because it [AMVCA] meets the demands of its fans.

In the debate on organizers allowing the public to decide on the Artiste of the Year winner, Cuando noted that the public is in a better position to determine the winner of the scheme’s ultimate award, as they are more in tune with the popularity and impact of songs and their artistes.

“I feel like it’s the people who listen to the song mostly and they are the ones who see an artist’s output. If the public is not listening to them, I believe their music can’t sell. The public plays a vital role when it comes to an artiste’s song.”
Cuando

Responding to whether it’s worth it for an artist to focus on the award schemes instead of making music, Cuando revealed that it shouldn’t always be the case.

“Well for me, it’s a 50/50 something. There can be a situation where you worked very hard and everyone knows that you did work hard but they end up giving the award to someone else.
“For me, I think they [artiste’s] shouldn’t even care about it that much because anything can happen. Personally, I won’t put my mind to it but just focus on my work.”
Cuando

According to him, celebrity beefs surrounding awards should be avoided, adding that ‘beefs’ doesn’t matter but rather artists should focus on their crafts and achievements.

Cuando Shares Inspiration That Fueled His Music Career

Cuando shed light on his creative process, revealing Kwesi Arthur as an important player in his music career.

According to the up-and-coming artist, he will never forget Kwesi Arthur’s influence on him, adding that Kwesi Arthur’s artistry became a guiding light that emboldened him to chase his musical dreams.

He also disclosed that it is his wish to collaborate with Kwesi Arthur in some time to come.

Speaking about his inspiration for the release of his first single titled “No Love”, he disclosed that an instrumental from a music group from the U.K. gave him the zeal to try his lyrics on.

As an up-and-coming artist, he revealed that promotion, funds, and getting the right links with people are challenging factors he is facing at the moment, adding that there are instances he felt like giving up but passion kept driving him.

“I’ve given up so many times but then anytime I try to quit there’s something that tells me to go again. I’ve started over so many times. I started in 2022 with freestyles.”
Cuando

According to him, he was motivated by a friend who is also making it in the music industry significantly.

He stated that he is not interested in any management team at the moment because he wants to establish himself and understand the industry better before seeking one.

Cuando wishes there were avenues created for up-and-coming artists in Ghana to be able to put their talents out there to serve as leverage for themselves since they want to be in the limelight, and he pleaded with artists who are already in the industry making waves globally to support them.

Currently, he is working on his second single which is coming out soon. The single is titled “Not My Mate”.