In an age when many Ghanaian musicians make money from gigs than record sales, a gospel singer, Sarah Acheampong, cannot understand why gospel artistes should charge for performances.
Not that Sarah does not understand the prevailing issues. Far from that! She is just surprised that some of her own gospel colleagues could turn down offers and boycott shows because their charges were high.
“Singing the word of God is not a business,” she told The Spectator Agoro on Monday.
“I don’t charge for shows. Not because I don’t need money, but because I am doing the work of God. But when I am offered any gift or blessing, I accept that in good faith”.
She explained that, when the invitation is for a concert, it means the event organizers are making money so she will charge.
However, if it is a charity show, “I will rather support them and not take anything from them.
“I went for a show just last week in Accra and I performed tremendously, but as at now I have still not received anything from the event organizers and this should not stop me from doing the work of God”, Sarah told this Reporter.
The morning devotion host on Atinka FM said in recent times, “although it was difficult to make money or come by money, that shouldn’t be the priority of gospel artistes”.
Sarah disclosed that some people charged over GH¢1000 for a show before they perform.
To her, most gospel artistes are taking the work of God as business and not ministering.
She advised gospel artistes to also do spirit-filled music and stop thinking about money to promote the kingdom.
Currently, Sarah is promoting her first album. The eight-track masterpiece has songs like ‘Dakorobi’, ‘Wabre Me Ho’, ‘Efata Wo’, ‘Ohene kese’ and ‘Mekase Woye’.
The songs encourage Christians to hold on firmly to their faith because there would definitely be a time to smile after the tribulations.