Former French ambassador to Ghana, Anne-Sophie Ave, has shared her perspective on the comparison often made between Ghanaian and Nigerian artists.
In an interview with Andy Dosty, she expressed her displeasure with such parallels and advised Ghanaian music fans to be more objective, citing Nigeria as a forerunner in pushing Afrobeat music across Africa.
Anne-Sophie Ave stated, “The comparison doesn’t make sense, yes, it is Afrobeat, but let’s look at it like Nigeria is paving the way, is opening the doors for the entire African continent.”
She emphasized the significant role Nigeria has played in popularizing Afrobeat music.
Furthermore, Ave stated that Nigeria’s enormous population has been critical to its development, as having 250 million individuals gives a sizable fan base and market for its music. She said that while good music may transcend numbers, having a large population surely helps in reaching a larger audience and producing revenue.
The former French diplomat also advised Ghanaian artists to promote themselves not only in Ghana, but also throughout the continent and beyond.
She emphasized the significance of strong promotion and media coverage, pushing musicians to go beyond their native country and conquer foreign markets.
In short, Anne-Sophie Ave’s viewpoint emphasizes the distinctiveness of each country’s music industry while acknowledging Nigeria’s pioneering role in the Afrobeat genre and the benefits of its enormous population.
She encourages Ghanaian artists to aggressively advertise themselves on a larger scale in order to reach comparable success.
