If you can’t perform with a live band, you are not an artist – Kwabena Kwabena

 

In Ghana, few musicians are always seen performing with live band. It is either the rest who mime cannot put up a good show when they decide to perform with a band or the cost involved is huge for them to afford or organisers to afford. One artiste who has always been seen on many occasions performing live is Kwabena Kwabena known in real life as George Kwabena Adu. If you want Kwabena on your show and you are planning of play a CD for him to sing along, then forget because that will never happen. The award-winning hilife artiste in an interview has disclosed that any artiste who cannot perform with a live band should not call him/herself a musician. Speaking to enewsgh.com , he noted that I feel to be an artist is to be able to present your art on stage as it is on record or better. In the music world, you should be able to play your music on stage to your audience. If you can’t; you are not an artist.

It’s as simple as that. In the west, no matter the genre Hip hop, Pop, Dancehall, Blues or any other genre is played live. You have no excuse. We are running from the truth, but if you really want to be a proper artist who entertains, then you have to think about live music.” The “Aso” hitmaker continued that even though live band costs, musicians who have their work at heart will always think about their work first before money hence concentrating on performing live. Music is passion and not all about the money, and anything which is a passion though you want the income to support you, you will always put the art over the money. You do your best and stay within the little budget you get and play good music.

It’s when we all say this is the proper way of presenting our music and this is the way we want to present our music, then the corporate bodies will know if they have to come in, they have to come with lots of money so you the artist have enough to present the show right. But until we start to give them a show, they won’t mind our appeals for higher pay, because no one will like to pay for a show and come and listen to the CD they were listening to in their cars minutes before they entered into the auditorium and you the artist come stage to dance and leave. You know you are at a concert when someone is playing a piano, another a guitar, another on the mic singing their heart out. You have paid to come see an artist perform for you only for him to slot in a CD and play you the same recording you already have that’s not acceptable.