Don’t Ask Gospel Artistes Afro Free Shows - Hannah Marfo

Hannah Marfo has maintained that it is wrong for any individual or institution to ask Gospel musicians to perform for them for free.

She said this concerning the general conception that Gospel musicians should be performing for free in certain situations since their work is for God.

Churches invite gospel artistes to their centres while either underpaying them or not paying them at all on the premise that what they do for the church is automatically service to God and they would be rewarded spiritually instead of financially.

The renowned gospel artiste has now stated that it is absolutely wrong and it borders on manipulative behaviour.

According to her, she and her colleagues deserve to be paid after shows, just like everyone else in the secular music industry.

She maintains that there is no excuse that can be tendered for events not paying gospel artists after shows especially when they've settled all others.

As an example, she narrated her experience in a church program she attended in Teshie where she had to pay her vocalists and bandsmen from her own pocket as the organizers of the show failed to pay her for her services.

The “Papa Muo Bone Muo” recounted how the organizers usually quote Matthew 10:8 (Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give as their reason for not paying gospel acts.

“It’s sad when organizers quote “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons."

"Freely you have received; freely give as written in Mathew 10;8 and insinuate that music is a God-given talent and so just like the scripture has mentioned, you need to give it for free. Meanwhile, Music was not mentioned in there”.

This she said in an interview with Kaakyire Ofori Ayim on Atinka FM’s AM Drive.