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16.03.2012 General News

JAK ALOLOME EXPOSES HERTY BORNGREAT: "SHE WON A PAYOLA AWARD"

16.03.2012 LISTEN

He is one of the prominent musicians in the industry now and has really made a mark in the music industry with just two successful albums to his credit. The name Jake Alolome rings a bell in the ears of every music lover especially those in the gospel fraternity.

Jake over the weekend expressed his excitements in a phone interview with flex newspaper over his nomination in this year's Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA). He said he was really happy about it because it tells how his work is being recognized in the country but as a musician, he believes charter house should consider the strength of every music in terms of the period between when the artiste release his song or album and the period of the award.

Jake said: “I released my album about two years ago, somewhere after the world cup in South Africa and the song is still strong and fresh in the minds of music lovers. It still enjoys air play and this means it is ever green. These are songs I expect the board to review and nominate for awards. I have heard people talked and complain about charter house involving songs or albums that have been released about 3,4 years ago but I don't think that is a wrong thing but something charter house should rather be looking at when reviewing songs for the awards. I am saying this because some artistes have taken advantage of charter house or the board not considering the longer period of album release and so wait till the last 3 or 4 months to the close of the year before releasing and promoting their songs. And because some put much money into their promotion, you will have their song taking over airplay and sitting on all the songs that have been in existence before or was released in the early hours or the beginning of the year. And then creates confusion and debates amongst the fans of these two artistes and the award. It will be better to give the song a longer period at least a year before considering it for nomination to test for the strength of the song because those who deliberately release within 3,4 months to the award ceremony, just do that to get nominated and this end up killing somebody's song and chances of winning the award. And some of these songs that are released lately are not strong enough but because of the money they will put in the promotion, they end up getting all the attention and airplay. We shouldn't forget some of these songs are “payola promoted” songs and it doesn't give us the time to know which song is ever green or not.

He said a typical example is Herty Borngreat last year's success in winning the discovery of the year award. “The lady and the husband did all the necessary promotion within that short period just for the award and indeed got away with it. She was everywhere, performing at events and all that, but where is she now, or have you seen her at a show performing like she did in that period?

The singer whose "Tomorrow By This Time" has been nominated in the Gospel song of the Year said the battle for that award lies between himself, Gifty Osei, Celina Boateng and Bernice Ansah, “I don't see the rest coming close at all” he chipped in. According to him winning the award is a good thing and very credible as much as Ghana music is concern. “I will be happy if I win, but if I don't win at the end of the day, life and my music must go on because at the end of the day, we all shouldn't forget charter house as an individual company and is in doing business. Even though the award is good, we shouldn't be so desperate for it. It should come along with our good works and not to be use in exchange for an award” Jake said


The happily married artiste disclosed he currently in the studio working on his third album but will travel outside the country and comeback in April to continue his music work. “I deal in import of cars and jewels aside my music career and that is what I'm travelling to do” he stated.

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