Crowned winner of Tv3’s Mentor 3 music reality show, Erico has said he will completely give up on doing gospel music in his next life.
The gospel artiste who’s disappointed in the industry he plies his trade revealed that he will at any point in his next life venture into Highlife music.
In an interview with Kojo Preko Dankwa, host of Kasapa Entertainment on Kasapa FM, Erico recounted how he has been treated unfairly by notable church leaders and event organizers who have refused to pay him for services he rendered to them.
He noted that most of his colleague gospel artistes suffer same fate in the hands of several men of God because their talents are not valued by them.
According to Erico, church event organizers think because their talents are gift from God, so they should minister for free. But he recounted how costly and challenging it has been to for gospel artistes to record songs, market and promote them.
Feeling regretful for doing gospel, Erico said he ignorantly ignored an advise by Mark Okraku Mantey to venture into highlife music.
“The challenges we (gospel artistes) go through is numerous but most people think everything is well smoothly. We are invited to perform at churches and other corporate events yet we treated as if our talent is for free. Most Pastors don’t pay us when we perform at their events. I remember how one man of God refused to pay me after performing at his church and I had to walk from Nungua to my house at North Kaneshie.
“For me, when I’m reborn to this earth I’ll not venture into gospel music, I’ll choose highlife instead because most stakeholders in the gospel industry are so so wicked, they don’t support artistes.
“At times the money given to you is so humiliating that it can’t take care of your team’s transport back to their destination.
“After I was crowned winner of Tv3’s Mentor 3, Mark Okraku Mantey told me in plain language that I should rather do Highlife because that is what suits me but I thought that because gospel has been my background from day one, I can’t do away with that genre but I’ve now realized Okraku’s advise was true. In my next life, I’ll rather choose Highlife over gospel.” Erico sadly told Kojo Preko Dankwa
Erico joined the gospel trio (Ampong, Isaac and Cee) after being crowned the ultimate winner of TV3’s Mentor 3.
He launched his fifth (5th) album titled ‘M’ayanwu’ which literary means ‘Close shave’ last year, April 30, 2017
Erico prior to participating in TV3’s Music Talent hunt was already a singer, who moved from church to church to minister to people, and that his participation in Mentor was just an opportunity that uncovered him.