Ghanaian artist, M3nsa has described some social media apps, including Instagram and Twitter, as ‘useless’ in securing support from the fanbase of artists.
M3nsa narrated some of the challenges he faced when attempting to secure funding for an album he intended to release.
He shared how he had tried crowdfunding from social media but to no avail.
“I started working on a project during the pandemic, and then everything was just falling apart. We tried many things, including distribution, but it just wasn’t working.
“So we decided to do a Kickstarter; you get your community to support you by donating any small amount they can, and you set a target, your communities will give you that money for you to release the album. And then the album is, in a sense, the community’s album.”
M3nsa
According to him, to their delight, the target was not only met but surpassed, thanks to the direct support of their community.
This experience, according to M3nsa, showed him the difference between the number of social media followers and the real-world impact they have.
“It was like $25,000. We reached it, and we passed it. But in the process, I also learned that Twitter is useless. Instagram is useless. I have 250,000 followers on Twitter. So imagine if everybody gave me 1 Cedi. But no one did.”
M3nsa
He stated he had to personally reach out to potential supporters over the phone until his efforts paid off.
M3nsa spoke on his experience, stating, it was jaw-dropping.
“It shows you how your art affects people, how people are into you. It was such an eye-opener and also being able to sell yourself and sell an idea was such an education for us.”
M3nsa
Doing Music in Ghana, a ‘Thankless’ Job
The music industry in Ghana, like many others, indeed faces challenges in providing sufficient appreciation and recognition for the hard work and dedication of its artists.
While Ghana has a vibrant music scene and produces talented artists across various genres, several factors contribute to the lack of recognition.
Despite these challenges, it is worth noting that there have been positive developments in recent years.
Artists like Sarkodie, Stonebwoy, and Shatta Wale have gained international recognition and helped raise the profile of Ghanaian music.
Ghanaian musician and filmmaker, M3nsa lamented that the music industry in Ghana lacks sufficient appreciation and recognition for its artists’ hard work and dedication.
M3nsa noted that Ghanaians often have a fleeting appreciation for musicians, enthusiastically supporting them one moment and abandoning them the next.
He drew from his personal experiences, recounting his challenges while crowdfunding his BONDZIE album. He revealed that even his family members, aware of his music career, hesitated to support his crowdfunding efforts.
These experiences have led M3nsa to conclude that pursuing a music career in Ghana is a “thankless” endeavor.
“It’s a thankless job in a sense, of course it is. You know you get loved … Even some family members were actually making me sell the idea to them. I don’t need to sell the idea to you, you know what I do but you know we took up the challenge and some people came through and they made up for all the pushbacks and struggling.”
M3nsa
M3nsa stated that even the group that’s supposed to help musicians in Ghana, MUSIGA, didn’t help him when he needed funding for a project.
The artist stated that despite following the proper channels, MUSIGA only contacted him after he had already completed the project, offering support too late to be of any help.
“We went there for funding and they told us to write a letter after we went through the process and we got a response after the film was launched,” he added.
Efforts should be made to address the challenges faced by the music industry in Ghana, including improving infrastructure, increasing media support for local artists, and implementing stricter measures against piracy.
By doing so, the industry provides better appreciation and recognition for its artists’ hard work and dedication.
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