Ghanaian musician Tigmatic has called for the African music industry to focus more on its own markets rather than seeking validation from the Western world.

According to him, while international recognition is valuable, it should not come at the expense of maintaining and protecting their local markets.

"We're always excited. It's like we're always looking for validation from outside, from the Western world, which is not bad, but it's bad when it's as a result of us not believing in what we have, even for our own market," Tigmatic stated on Showbiz 360 on TV3.

Trigmatic pointed out that many African artistes are focused on breaking into European and American markets, often neglecting their own.

Tigmatic recounted his experience in Kampala, Uganda, where he found it difficult to hear music from other African countries on local radio stations.

"You might hear some Nigerian music, but you hardly will hear Ghanaian songs," he said, highlighting a gap in the market.

"Our market is very open. The protection of our market is not there,” he stated.

Tigmatic also criticised the excitement over international awards like the Grammys, arguing that it distracts from the decline of prestigious local awards.

"We're not worried that we've killed most of our biggest prestigious awards," he noted.

While acknowledging the benefits of international markets, especially in terms of currency value, Tigmatic urged African artists to strengthen their local presence.

"We need to be mindful of how open we are because we are letting our talents go if we don't learn to make the best out of it internally and to make our world stronger," he added.

ID/ ADG

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