Entertainment
‘Beyond The Return’ music business masterclass finds innovative ways to market Ghanaian Music
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
Ghanaian musician Sparqlyn is set to release another big hit.
His latest release, ‘Rosina,’ features Germany-based Ghanaian musician, video director, and sound engineer TEENO (known privately as Eric Kwame Tamakloe).
TEENO’s project ‘Signs’ was recently accepted by the Grammys for official consideration in the ‘Album of the Year’ category. Now, ‘Rosina’ is making serious waves across the airwaves.
Coming shortly after the impressive reception to his previous single ‘Fameko,’ ‘Rosina’ is already receiving strong attention from music lovers and radio listeners.
This new song carries an infectious Afrobeats and Hiplife feel while maintaining the romantic direction that characterised ‘Fameko,’ Sparqlyn’s 2026 Highlife collaboration with Ziya.
‘Fameko’ marked an important moment in Sparqlyn’s musical journey, with the love-themed highlife record receiving positive reactions from music lovers and media platforms following its June 2026 release.
The song became one of the highlights of his 2026 output, ranking high on multiple charts.
‘Fameko’ has also bagged Sparqlyn two top nominations: “Highlife Song of the Year” and “Artist of the Year” at the 2026 Stars Awards.
The combination of a romantic storyline, Afrobeats rhythm, and Hiplife influence give the song a sound that fits comfortably into the current Ghanaian music landscape.
The timing of the song’s release could also prove significant for the award-winning artiste. Sparqlyn recently secured two nominations at the 2026 Ghana Youth Empowerment Awards, where he is in contention for Youth Empowerment Advocate of the Year and Outstanding Youth Personality of the Year.
With ‘Fameko’ having established strong momentum earlier in the year and ‘Rosina’ now beginning to enjoy significant airplay, Sparqlyn appears to be ending another eventful chapter of his musical career on a high note.
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Ghanaian highlife and Afrobeats singer Kuami Eugene Marfo known in showbiz circles as Kuami Eugene has urged fellow musicians and entertainers to use their influence on social media and other platforms to champion causes that positively impact society.
The award-winning artiste made the call during a UNICEF Ghana birth registration advocacy campaign in Bepoase in the Ayensuano District of the Eastern Region, where he joined officials from UNICEF Ghana and the Births and Deaths Registry to raise awareness about the importance of registering children at birth.
He explained that artistes wield significant influence and should leverage platforms such as TikTok, Facebook and Instagram to amplify important social initiatives and encourage behavioural change.
The musician, who has partnered UNICEF Ghana on several child-focused campaigns, said he had a special interest in issues affecting children and was committed to supporting efforts that improved their welfare and future opportunities.
He noted that birth registration was critical because it established a child’s legal identity and ensured recognition as a Ghanaian citizen.
The advocacy drive forms part of UNICEF Ghana’s efforts to improve birth registration rates across the country through community engagements, public education and collaboration with traditional authorities.
The musician said he remained focused on creating quality music while continuing to support social causes that contribute to national development, particularly initiatives aimed at improving the lives of children. –GNA
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