Wendy Shay, a Ghanaian singer, has spoken out strongly against the prevalent attitude in Ghana, where many people assess an artist’s success only on their capacity to fill the O2 Arena and win a Grammy.
As the self-proclaimed Queen of Ghanaian music, she has urged her compatriots to reconsider and allow Ghanaian musicians to define and celebrate success on their own terms.
Wendy Shay has posed intriguing concerns about why filling the O2 Arena and winning a Grammy award have become the exclusive yardsticks for assessing an artist’s success.
In order to make her case, she has used renowned performers such as Bob Marley and 2Pac, who achieved amazing success and made a lasting effect on the music business despite never receiving a Grammy.
Wendy Shay hopes to develop a more inclusive and diversified view of success in the Ghanaian music scene by advocating a shift in perspective.
She feels that success should be varied and represent the diverse travels and contributions of Ghanaian artists, rather than being limited to external validations such as filling a prominent venue or winning a certain award.
However, several artists, such as Amerado and Fameye, have agreed with Wendy that the priority is to feed their families and fully utilise their abilities, rather than to fill seats at their shows.
