Being relevant as a GH artiste won't win you Grammy; know the right people - Gary Al-Smith

Being relevant as a GH artiste won't win you Grammy; know the right people - Gary Al-Smith

- Gary Al-Smith has said relevance as a Ghanaian act does not win international awards

- According to him, one had to just know the right people to be able to breakthrough

- The sports journalist's comments come on the back of the just-ended Grammy Awards

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Sports Journalist Gary Al-Smith has given some lessons to Ghanaian artistes over the need for them to step up their game and win on the international stage.

The well-read sports personality took to his Facebook page to make a post about how Ghanaian musicians can bring international glory both to themselves and country as a whole.

According to Gary, internationally-acclaimed and recognized Ghanaian musician, Rocky Dawuni, showed the path to international glory many years ago.

Being relevant as a GH artiste won't win you Grammy; know the right people - Gary Al-Smith
Being relevant as a GH artiste won't win you Grammy; know the right people - Gary Al-Smith
Source: Instagram

Gary maintained that just like looking at the Dawuni example, one did not need to be relevant as a musician in Ghana to win international awards.

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To the sports journalist, Ghanaian musicians can compete in and win international awards only if they get to come into contact with the right people and people who matter.

Excerpts of Gary Al-Smith’s post on this aspect on Facebook read: “Rocky Dawuni, a man also from GH, showed us the way long ago, that he didn’t need to be relevant in Ghana to win. He needed to know the right people. Maybe we should encourage our acts to tap into people who will push them there, rather than pull them down because two Nigerians (with a lot more money and influence, let’s be honest) have done it.”

Gary Al-Smith also maintained that branding and networking were the two most important aspects of an artiste’s career that he or she had to take very seriously because it was the sure bet to international glory.

The sports journalist was speaking on the back of Ghana’s Nigerian counterparts excelling on the international stage with their many recognition and awards.

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Earlier, Gary Al-Smith gave some golden advice to Ghanaian artistes who dream of winning Grammys in future.

In a Facebook post and sighted by YEN.com.gh, the journalist indicated that talent was not enough to win world-acclaimed awards like BET and Grammys.

According to him, the two most important aspects that Ghanaian artistes need to focus on are branding and networking or connections.

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Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Edwin Lamptey avatar

Edwin Lamptey Edwin’s goal is to drive YEN’s entertainment desk to become the go-to location for authentic entertainment news in Ghana and the reference point for viral foreign entertainment news. He will seek to entertain and say it as it is! He holds a degree in English, History and Religion and Human Values from the University of Cape Coast.