The Happy Man Bitters Upper East Music Awards, once considered the pinnacle of music celebration in the region, has drawn heavy criticism due to its glaring flaws and questionable practices.
Instead of being a night of honor and prestige, this year’s event devolved into an example of poor organization, unprofessionalism, and favoritism.
Unforgivable Delays: An Insult to Attendees
Starting an event at 12:00 a.m. in a region where attendees travel great distances is a glaring act of disrespect. How do organizers justify such blatant disregard for people’s time and comfort? With six years of experience under their belt, time management should no longer be an issue. Yet, here we are.
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Technical Chaos: Where Is the Excellence?
From a sound system plagued with echoes and disruptive noise to lighting glitches that disrupted the entire ambiance, the event’s technical execution was subpar. For an awards show boasting years of “excellence,” these avoidable errors expose a troubling lack of professionalism.
Professionalism Thrown Out the Window
An awards ceremony should radiate class and organization, yet this event failed on multiple fronts. Shockingly, MCs and nominees carried their children on stage during the program. Such casual and unprofessional behavior diminished the seriousness of the occasion and raised questions about the caliber of the organizers.
To make matters worse, I encountered two nominee artists who expressed their disappointment over alleged favoritism. According to them, winners appeared to have been predetermined, casting doubt on the credibility of the entire process.
Most Popular Song Controversy
The decision to award the Most Popular Song of the Year to Chicago instead of Timorhino Buyer Hamza has sparked outrage among fans and industry insiders alike. Timorhino’s track dominated airwaves and was a staple at local events. If the award is based on popularity, how did Chicago emerge as the winner? The lack of transparency leaves room for skepticism.
A Call for Accountability
The Upper East Music Awards has the potential to be a highly respected platform for recognizing and nurturing talent. However, if these recurring issues—poor planning, lack of professionalism, and questionable transparency—aren’t addressed, the awards will continue to lose credibility.
It’s time for the organizers to step up and honor their promise of excellence by making necessary changes. The region’s creative community deserves an awards show that genuinely celebrates and uplifts talent, not one that prioritizes clout over quality.
The ultimate question is: are the Upper East Music Awards a true celebration of talent, or just another poorly executed event chasing headlines?
