A leading voice in the gospel music industry, Music producer Kwesi Ernest, has spoken out against the practice of ‘caging’ gospel musicians, citing it as the reason why gospel musicians have only won the Artiste of the Year award twice in the history of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA).

In an interview with Berla Mundi ahead of the VGMA 2023, Kwesi Ernest argued that gospel musicians have limited themselves by allowing others to cage them as 'peculiar' people who were not interested in worldly schemes, resulting in fewer accolades.

"Gospel has won only two in all of VGMA because maybe we have caged ourselves and allowed others to cage us, but I want us to base the argument on who worked harder," he said.

Many music enthusiasts and industry insiders agree with Kwesi Ernest's views, stressing that gospel musicians should not be judged solely based on their genre but rather on their work's quality, impact, and popularity.

Despite their contributions to the music industry and massive following, gospel musicians are often overlooked in favour of their secular counterparts.

Kwesi Ernest made this statement in response to industry players who have expressed their reservations about giving the Artiste of the Year award to a gospel artiste.

He hopes that his message will encourage gospel musicians to break free from the shackles of societal expectations and strive for excellence in their craft.

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