Entertainment
‘Beyond The Return’ music business masterclass finds innovative ways to market Ghanaian Music
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A masterclass with the aim of improving the business side of the Ghanaian music industry has been held at the Accra Tourism Information Centre.
The programme was powered by the Ghana Tourism Authority and the ‘Beyond The Return’ Secretariat in conjunction with the Creative Arts Council and The Bridge Zone.
The initiative which is one of the Return Conversations as part of ‘Beyond the Return’ programme was dubbed, “The Business of Music – Finding Innovative ways to market Ghanaian Music to the Rest of the World.”
Panelists included SONY Music President, Glyn Aikins, Music Producer, Trumpeter, Composer & Educator, Dontae Winslow, Composer, Guitarist & Producer, Vasti Jackson, Senior Integrated Media Specialist – Radio One USA, Coriya Burns, Award Winning DJ, Malcolm Xavier, and President, Creative Arts Council, Mark Okraku Mantey.
The discussions focused on key areas in the music industry such as marketing, finance, technological advancements, new channels for distribution and sales, networking, and new trends.
Addressing the programme from the Accra Tourist Information Centre where is was streamed live to audience in and outside the country, Mark Okraku Mantey, advised industry players not to allow their creativity to be boxed by recounting how he challenged the status quo in the past and succeeded.
According to him, as a young producer, he did not allow what was the order of the day to dictate to his creativity, for this reason, he introduced Hip Hop into highlife with songs like Kokooko by the late Dasebre Gyamenah.
“As creative people, we should not be limited in our creativity but go beyond the box and be innovative in our ways, else the market will outpace us,” he said.
Mr Mantey further urged players in music business to be very particular about their recordings and not to compromise on sound, rhythm, chord progression and mastering among others when producing music.
Vasti Jackson, on his part said the tool one used in music production made the change, adding that fundamentally, good infrastructure to produce the right sound was vital.
Touching on streaming, he said, even though it had exposed music from Africa, those who made a lot of money were the top executives and not mostly artistes, saying it had devalued the financial reward of musicians.
Glyn Aikins, said that measurement of music consumption for some time now had been easy due to technology, which made it simple for people to find out the genre making waves, and which market was available for people to tap into.
“Management need to understand the vision of the artiste, and should be able to put in place the right measures to propel the artistes to get there,” he added.
On music from Ghana crossing over to the global market, he urged those in the circles to network and liaise with other people outside the country to get their music out there.
He said some of the major record labels were opening up satellite offices in Africa which was good news for musicians.
Coriya Burns urged those in the music space to focus on making their messages clear and getting to the right people to fix their songs at the important places.
Malcom Xavier, also asked disck jockeys to commence their own initiatives, throw their parties and use social media among other platforms to promote it to be able to make a lot of revenue for themselves and said that he was opened to promoting music from Ghana.
Dontae Winslow called for dedication and passion to work as well as ensure they actively partake in all the chain of music production.
Participants which included musicians, producers, Djs, music executives and the media expressed appreciation to the organisers for the initiative.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Organisers of Rhythms On Da Runway have announced November 28, 2026 as the date for the 16th edition of the event, to be held at the Palms Convention Centre.
This year’s edition, themed: ‘UNBOUND: Because You’ve Got Style’, is focused on breaking barriers in fashion and creating space for all.
According to the Chief Executive Officer of Nineteen57 Events, Shirley Emma Tibilla, affectionately called Cookie Tee, the focus of this edition is to give everyone an opportunity to express themselves without barriers.
She told The Spectator that as a leading fashion brand in the country and beyond, they want to open doors for people regardless of their colour, size and abilities among others.
Described by the BBC as “the biggest cultural exposé in Africa,” Rhythms On Da Runway returns this year as a celebration of fashion, music and individual expression without limits.
Organisers say for years fashion has been shaped by narrow ideas of who belongs on the runway, with certain body types, ages and abilities placed at the centre while many others are left out. UNBOUND seeks to open that picture.
This year’s runway will welcome people with different abilities, backgrounds, body types and personal stories. The theme will influence model casting, the collections, the stories told through the clothes and the way guests experience the event.
Beyond the runway, ‘Unbound’ will create room for young people to learn from established designers, gain practical experience and explore careers within fashion and the wider creative industry.
It will also open conversations around adaptive fashion, accessible event design, talent discovery, mentorship and employment.
The 2026 edition will bring together fashion designers and music stars from Ghana and across the African diaspora, with strong collections, live performances and an all-star cast of celebrity models.
The event will also feature the Black Star Awards, which will honour public figures shaping Africa’s future through leadership and contributions to the continent’s Orange Economy.
Organisers say the list of participating designers, performing artists, award recipients and other event details will be announced in the coming weeks.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
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Veteran Ghanaian gospel musician Bernice Offei has passed on Saturday August 12, 2026.
She was 63.
The news of her demise flashed through social media on Saturday, prompting an outpouring of grief from musicians, fans and members of the Christian community, who have since paid tribute to her distinguished career.
She gained strong reputation as a singer, songwriter and minister whose music transcended generations.
Some of her popular songs include ‘Kaa She Gbeyei,’ ‘It’s By Grace,’ ‘Nyame Kokroko’ and ‘N’adom Ara Kwa.’
Her contribution to the growth of gospel music in Ghana was recognised in 2009 when she won the Best Female Vocal Performance and Songwriter of the Year awards at the Ghana Music Awards, now known as the Telecel Ghana Music Awards.
Beyond music, Mrs Offei distinguished herself in academia and professional life. She attended Achimota School before earning an MPhil in Crop Science from the University of Ghana and a Master’s Degree in Information Technology from University College London in the United Kingdom.
Mrs Offei was married to Prof. Samuel Kwame Offei, a former Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, and the couple had two children.
Her death comes days after she was reported missing but was later found safe.
Mrs Offei leaves behind a rich music legacy that continues to inspire faith, hope and resilience among generations of listeners. -GNA
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You can now read the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator newspapers from the comfort of your device via TimesNewsPlus.
Join our WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
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