Noella Wiyaala, a Ghanaian Afro-pop singer professionally known as Wiyaala has alleged that the Vodafone Music Awards (VGMA) is all about awarding artistes whose songs are popular in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.
According to her, some songs were never popular in the northern part of the country yet they were able to win awards.
Wiyaala revealed that the VGMAhad criteria for picking nominees she thinks disqualifies her, which has caused her to stop filing for nominations. She made this assertion when she appeared as a guest on the North Podcast with Prince Hamdan Banang monitored by 1Family Radio.
The musician who mostly sings in Sissala and Waala dialects of her home language in addition to English continued that a crucial prerequisite for nomination is significant radio broadcast in Accra, a requirement that is impossible for her given her linguistic preference.
Without mincing words, Wiyaala stated that VGMA only awards musician who are Accra-Based and their songs are popular in the capital.
“In my heart, I believe VGMA is attempting to involve us all. But let’s not play around and make a fool of ourselves, what VGMA is all about is quite clear and blaring. You must reside in Accra, and Accra must enjoy your music. Songs that were never popular in the North have succeeded anyway, and the standards are always evolving. You should not enter if you cannot abide by their laws and restrictions,’’ she said bluntly.
Wiyaala also highlighted in the lack of intentional efforts to promote musician from other areas, whose songs might not be well-known due to linguistic problems.
“I can be as well-known as any other musician in the Northern region, but since the show and the majority of the radio stations are situated in Accra, it’s only natural that they would favor songs from Accra.’’
“Many people are unwilling to understand our songs, and the majority of DJs are not familiar with them,’’ she added.
Source: 1Familyradio
