Wiyaala, a Ghanaian Afro-pop singer-songwriter, has expressed her dissatisfaction with Charterhouse’s annual Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMAs), claiming that the prestigious event primarily recognises and promotes musicians based in Accra.
Wiyaala who was a guest on The North Podcast with Prince Hamdan Banang disclosed that the VGMAs have established criteria for selecting nominees that she believes disqualify her, consequently leading her to cease submitting nominations.
Wiyaala, 36, revealed that one of the key criteria for nomination is massive airplay on radio stations in Accra, a requirement that proves unattainable for her due to her choice of language.
The ‘Feeling Free’ singer sings in her home tongue Sissala and Waala dialects and English, frequently merging all three languages within her songs
“In my heart, I believe VGMA is trying to get all of us involved. But let’s not tickle and make and make a fool of ourselves,” Wiyaala expressed candidly. “It’s very obvious and glaring what VGMA is all about. You have to be in Accra and your songs have to be popular in Accra. There are songs that were never popular in the North, but they made it, and the criteria keep changing. It’s their rules and regulations if you cannot follow them, you shouldn’t enter,”
Wiyaala, who lives in the Upper West area, emphasised the absence of concerted attempts to present singers from other regions whose songs may be unfamiliar owing to linguistic issues.
This omission contradicts the VGMA’s stated goal of commemorating musicians from across Ghana since it focuses disproportionately on certain groups in specific parts of the nation.
“I can be as popular as any artist in the Northern region, but since the program is Accra-based and most of the radio stations are Accra-based, it’s only natural that they predominantly feature songs from Accra. Most DJs do not comprehend our songs, and many people are unwilling to understand them,” Wiyaala explained.
However, the singer-songwriter has already received VGMA accolades such as Songwriter of the Year and Best Female Vocal Performance.
As of this publication, Charterhouse and the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards have not addressed these issues, and it remains to be seen whether they would take efforts to ensure equal representation for musicians from all parts of the nation.
