Stonebwoy has a message for Ghana’s music industry: stop looking sideways and start looking outward.
The award-winning dancehall artist believes Ghanaian musicians spend too much time competing with one another when they could be working together to strengthen the country’s presence on the international music scene.
Speaking on the BBC’s This Is Africa, Stonebwoy said Ghana already has the talent and musical heritage needed to succeed globally.
Ghana has such beautiful music.
The problem, he argued, lies partly in how the country promotes its achievements.
According to Stonebwoy, positive developments in Ghana’s music industry often receive less attention than negative stories, making it harder to build a strong international narrative around the country’s artists.
He contrasted that with Nigeria, where major achievements by its musicians often receive significant publicity.
When a Nigerian wins an iHeart, you and I know how that is going to gain PR immediately.
Stonebwoy said Ghana needs to put more energy into celebrating its artists and exporting their successes to international audiences instead of constantly measuring itself against others.
His comments came shortly before his BHIM Festival headline show at OVO Arena Wembley, which marked his first headline performance at the London venue.