It’s perfectly OK to commercialise gospel music – Diana Hamilton

Ghanaian musician Diana Antwi Hamilton has explained that making profit from a career as a gospel artiste is justifiable, though such singers, she said, must be cautious not to lose focus with their core mandate of saving souls for Christ.

Mrs Hamilton was answering a question posed to her by Andy Favoured on Gospel 360 on Accra100.5FM on Sunday June 12 about whether or not it was advisable for musicians ministering the gospel of Christ to commercialise their trade.

“Of course,” she answered, adding: “It is business. ...The gospel is free, but the medium through which the gospel is spread is not free. The gospel is free but the Bible is for sale. The word of God is free, salvation is free to all, however, the Bible has to be bought. If it comes as a free app on a phone…you [still] have to buy a phone,” she explained.

She, however, admitted that there was “a very thin line” between commercialisation and profiteering, which artistes needed to manage well to ensure they stayed on track regarding their mission.

The Ensi Wo Yie singer, who owns a clothing line, operates a foundation and is also a nurse, said she had not lost the spirituality of her ministry with her numerous engagements.

According to her, gospel artistes invest a lot of money in their ministry, especially into branding and production, which require some amount of business to recoup.

“The problem is, sometimes, when a musician’s price is going up, she forgets to look to God, then her spirituality begins to go down, such that when she is called to perform, she fails to deliver,” Mrs Hamilton, who has recently released the Yehowa album, which includes the hit song Work in Progress, added.

“It is [about] striking the balance, knowing what put you there and upholding that, making sure that the foundation is still strong.”