Reggae/Dancehall artiste, Samini has called for a strategic approach for Ghana to promote local songs this festive season to attract investment from foreigners who will visit the country in the coming days.
He noted that playing more foreign music would not communicate well with the people of the diaspora and pleaded with disc jockeys (DJs) to put conscious efforts into playing local songs.
Addressing the press at the Ministry of Information during the campaign of the “Play Ghana” Initiative, Samini stated that his appeal was not to dissuade DJs from playing foreign songs but for them to prioritize Ghanaian music as other countries do.
“This is a long-overdue call; different people have done it in their own capacity in different levels. Since we joined the industry or since we became professional musicians and we started traveling, we’ve always been advocating the fact that we need to hear more of our music when we are in our own territory.”
“Because that’s what we see when we go to other territories. If you go to Kenya, for instance, you hear strictly East African music. Yes, of course, we have the Nigerian invasion, which is inevitable, which is not the competition here.”
“That’s not the complaint here. That’s not the target here. What we’re talking about is that, especially for the fact that we have beyond the return, which has become like an asset to Ghana, should anybody travel here and listen to 70% foreign music and 30% Ghanaian music, then what music have we sold to those who returned?” Samini queried.
Emphasizing the importance of the (Beyond the Return) initiative as an asset for Ghana, Samini said Ghanaian music should be promoted daily to make it more appealing to foreigners.
The ace musician stressed that relying heavily on foreign music in Ghana could lead to a disregard for indigenous music and highlighted the significance of creating a musical atmosphere that resonates globally by promoting the rich cultural heritage and talent present in the industry.
Source: Ghana/MaxTV/MaxFM/max.com.gh/Joyceline Natally Cudjoe
