Public relations (PR) engines are firing for Artiste of the Year candidates like King Promise, Stonebwoy, and King Paluta as the Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMAs) draw near, but the same cannot be said for the Gospel nominees as in years past.
This year’s AOTY category’s gospel candidates appear to be trailing behind in the campaign battle, with many casting blame on them and wondering where the gospel music advocacy group Table of Men (TOM) has gone.
Stonebwoy, King Promise, King Paluta, Black Sherif, Kweku Smoke, Team Eternity Ghana, and Joe Mettle are the gospel family’s representatives in this year’s Artiste of the Year competition.
Formerly leading campaigns for gospel artists in the Artiste of the Year category, TOM is not a PR machine for gospel artists, according to Kwasi Ernest, CEO of Media Excel and a member of Table of Men.
Kwasi Ernest stated in a media interview on Tuesday, April 15, that TOM only promoted gospel musicians who approached them and did not do so without their cooperation and knowledge.
There is no prejudice in Table of Men. People must realize that the group isn’t a public relations tool for any gospel musician, thus it is only fitting that any artist who received nominations instruct their team to spearhead the campaign.
But why not, if they believe that the Table of Men have some sway and that supporting them will increase their chances of winning? Because we support the growth and prosperity of the gospel music business, we are prepared to assist,” he stated.
Thanks to a strong effort by the gospel community headed by TOM, Joe Mettle became the first gospel musician to win the top prize at the TGMAs in 2017, marking a historic milestone for the award program.
Diana Hamilton won the prize in 2021, repeating this accomplishment. But even with a successful 2023 campaign, Black Sherif defeated gospel singer Piesie Esther.
Fans are still expecting for a huge campaign for Team Eternity, but as of right now, there doesn’t seem to be any show, despite the team’s stellar season and Joe Mettle’s great results in the year under review.
“But we can’t just get up and start campaigning for an artist,” adds Kwasi Ernest. Furthermore, we have no idea what approach the artists’ management may have taken, so there’s no need pointing fingers at us until we are requested to assist, which we will be happy to do. That ought to be the norm, in my opinion,” he stated.
Critics claim they only put their best foot forward for their favorite artists, despite the fact that their efforts have been praised as a positive gesture for the gospel business.
Kwasi Ernest revealed that the team was now on break to develop a stronger strategy for a formidable industry when questioned whether the notion would have affected their decision to remain silent this year.
We are now taking a vacation from our lobbying activities and considering industry-boosting projects. Among other things, this covers marketing and promotion, distribution services, vocal workshops, and creative trainings,” he said.
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