The practice where artists leave their record labels after a couple of years with the excuse of establishing their own record labels seems to be eating through the industry and CEO of Media Excel Productions, Ernest Kwesi Ennin, has slammed it saying it does not bode well for the industry.
Speaking to Showbiz yesterday, May 27, Kwesi Ernest said the practice smacks of greed and ingratitude on the part of the artists.
“Musicians want to see themselves on television and see their works promoted but they don’t stop for a second to check how much money goes into all of that.
That is why when they leave, their careers take a downward turn,” he said.
“What is causing this pandemic? We keep losing big talents, big musicians and it is becoming a worry for the industry.
It is ugly and distasteful to walk away from your winning team,” he lamented.
According to Kwesi Ernest, there are countless examples of artists whose careers suffered after they left the record labels that brought them into the limelight.
“Cwesi Oteng became huge under BBnZ after the record label had made him successful, he went his way and he has dropped ever since, Erico of Mentor fame accused Bandex of spending his money and never became big after that.
“Joyce Blessing was doing great with Media Excel and now that she has found her way to Zylofon, she has released about three albums and she is still not doing well.
“ Wutah finally had to come back together and with Praye, you should see the euphoria in the auditorium when they came on stage at this year’s Vodafone Ghana Music Awards, they don’t need anybody to advise them to come back together,” he said.
He said though the decision may come from the artists themselves, external pressures also contribute to some of them leaving their record labels.
“Family, lovers, concubines, radio presenters and other industry people will call the artiste and say, ‘your manager is not doing well, how much have you got? Has he bought you a car?’ The artist tends to believe the industry person and the next thing you know, he or she is on her/his way out,” he stated.
Another factor for the increase in this practice in Kwesi Ernest’s view is contractual obligations. “Most of the musicians don’t understand what they sign.
Often times, they are anxious to become a hit so they don’t care what goes into the contract. When they leave, they leave without hundreds of thousands of fans and they are burdened with having to build their own fanbase,” he said.
“Most of our Gospel musicians have gone through this with most of them saying that their husbands want to manage them.
Cecilia Marfo for instance, was doing so well till her husband pops up and says, I want to manage my wife and in the process, she lost everything,” he added.