Following the release of Wendy Shay’s ‘Africa Money’ song, concerns have been raised about the authenticity of the music with regard to the words in the chorus.
According to some individuals including entertainment pundits, some of the words in the chorus were stolen from Barima Sidney’s 2011 ‘African Money’ song.
In reacting to the allegations, Wendy Shay refuted the claims and stated that using certain words from a song does not infringe the copyright laws because it is done most of the time.
Wendy Shay stated that she is ready to attend to a legal suit if Barimah Sidney deems it fit.
“Nobody has the rights over words so if legendary Sidney thinks my song is similar to his own he can take me to court. And I am ready for that maybe I could learn something new there or in case I’m fined I will pay,” she said.
“He has not reached out to my camp about the issue but as you are saying maybe he has heard it. As I am sitting here I know I haven’t stolen anybody’s song but I am ready to go to the court if anyone thinks I have stolen their song,” she expressed.
Wendy Shay further continued that she has been doing professional music for five years so she knows copyright infringements, violations, and others.
“I haven’t seen any law that states that someone can be accused of violation for taking words from a song. If that is the case then our Nigerian brothers who use ‘Odo Yewu’ in their songs have also committed copyright infringement but that is not the case,” she noted.
Barimah Sidney is yet to comment on the issue publicly on whether he would take action or let it go as some individuals have expressed concerns about the words in the chorus of Wendy Shay’s ‘Africa Money’ song being similar to his own.
Discussing The Multifaceted Factors Of Songs
Wendy Shay recently discussed the multifaceted factors that influence the success of songs in today’s music industry.
She highlighted that achieving success in the modern music landscape necessitates more than just creative talent—it also demands a substantial financial investment and effective marketing strategies.
Wendy Shay emphasized that the potential for a song to become a hit hinges on its marketing and promotional efforts, in addition to the financial resources allocated to it. She pointed out that the conventional approach of relying solely on traditional media for promotion is no longer as effective in the current music scene.
“The new era of creating a hit song has become capital intensive, unlike the days when conventional media promotion sufficed. Now, times have changed, and the music industry is flooded with various available platforms,” she mentioned.
According to Wendy Shay, musicians in the digital age need to think outside the box and explore innovative methods to produce a successful song, many of which may require significant financial investment. The highly competitive and rapidly evolving music industry can make it challenging for a song to stand out.
“A multitude of musicians are part of the system now, and over 200 new songs are released within a week. The industry is saturated, and getting the spotlight on your music is a shared challenge due to the sheer volume of songs in circulation. So, your financial resources will play a crucial role in determining how your song achieves its peak while acknowledging the role of divine grace,” Wendy Shay noted.
“Every available music platform today requires a significant financial commitment, including the new digital spaces like TikTok and Playlisting. Even the individuals responsible for pushing the song demand compensation. However, recouping your investment is possible, depending on the effectiveness of your marketing efforts,” she further added.
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