Ghanaian-American singer and songwriter Amaarae has announced her withdrawal from the Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMAs) due to unresolved technical issues.
In a candid post on social media platform X, Amaarae detailed the series of events that led to her decision, expressing both disappointment and frustration.
Amaarae revealed that she had flown her team of ten — including audio technicians, visual experts, and tour managers — from Barcelona to Ghana, a 12-hour journey.
This effort was made possible by getting Primavera Sound, a prominent music festival, to change her performance date from June 1 to May 30. She did this to ensure her presence at the TGMAs on May 31. Despite these extensive preparations, problems arose upon arrival at the rehearsal venue.
The singer stated that the TGMA Production Manager failed to meet their technical rider request, which had been submitted in April and followed up on for weeks. The Production Manager also informed Amaarae’s team that rehearsals were three hours behind schedule, preventing her from having a proper rehearsal. Attempts to contact the Production Manager the following morning were unsuccessful, as calls from her Manager, Tour Manager, and Front of House engineers went unanswered.
In her post, Amaarae shared her frustration, emphasizing her commitment to professionalism and high-quality performances. She highlighted the significant financial investment made by her team, estimating costs at nearly $30,000 for flights, stage and red carpet outfits, crew and band salaries, and accommodation.
“For three years now, I have tried so hard to perform at the Ghana Music Awards,” Amaarae wrote. “Their CEO and my Management have worked hard to make it happen and finally we were able to align this year – only for my team to be completely ignored and frustrated by their production manager.”
The TGMAs scheduled to feature performances by Amaarea Eternity, Stonebwoy, King Promise, King Paluta, Mr. Drew, Kuami Eugene, Amerado, Efya, and Nacee.
Amaarae’s decision to withdraw is a significant blow to the TGMAs, highlighting ongoing challenges in event management and production quality within the Ghanaian music industry. As the story unfolds, fans and industry insiders alike will be watching closely to see how the TGMAs respond to these allegations and what steps will be taken to address the issues raised by the artist.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Emmanuel Mensah
