Stonebwoy, Dancehall artist, has called for a more inclusive approach to recognizing all nominees in the Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) Artiste of the Year (AOTY) category. In a recent interview with Berla Mundi on TV3, the multiple award-winning musician shared his perspective on the current debate about the prestigious award.
Stonebwoy, who was recently awarded the AOTY title, admitted he was not aware of the ongoing social media discussions until just before the event. He expressed concern that the attention was disproportionately focused on himself and King Promise, thereby overshadowing the contributions of other deserving nominees.
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“If the spotlight were shared among all five or six nominees, it would better represent the reality. Focusing on just two artists diminishes the hard work of the others,” he said.
Having been named Reggae Dancehall Artiste of the Year nine times, Stonebwoy emphasized the need to recognize the collective efforts of all artists in the category. He noted that the current focus could lead to misconceptions about the efforts and achievements of other nominees.
Stonebwoy also stressed that the role of fans should be to support and promote the works of all artists during the year under review. He believes the final decision should be based on the criteria set by the Ghana Music Awards, rather than fan popularity alone.
“It’s not for the fans to decide who the top contenders are. Fans should propel, propagate, and project the works of the artists, and vote accordingly. That’s what their role should be,” he explained.
He warned that the fans’ concentrated attention on a few nominees could foster resentment and unhealthy competition among artists. Stonebwoy called for a fair and impartial selection process to ensure that all nominees receive due recognition.
At the recent Telecel Ghana Music Awards, Stonebwoy received an impressive 13 nominations and won six awards, including Reggae Dancehall Artiste of the Year, Album of the Year, and Artiste of the Year. Despite his success, he remains committed to advocating for a more equitable recognition of all artists’ efforts.
