It’s not enough to train contestants of reality shows to sing – Mavis Asante

Gospel act Mavis Asante believes it is about time organisers of music reality shows in Ghana took a second look at their operations because helping budding artistes hone just their singing skills is not enough to embark on a music career.

Unless organisers just want to add to the numbers and not groom prolific musicians, Mavis Asante thinks there is more to polishing up contestants’ singing prowess.

Mavis Asante, who rose to prominence through TV3’s Mentor Season 4, a TV music reality show, expressed concern over how those platforms focused mostly on the contestants’ singing abilities while neglecting other crucial facets of their music career.

“The organisers paying little attention to the equally important things such as stardom management, production, industry survival among others leave contestants half-baked” and making it difficult for them to stay in the industry.

“I pray people don’t get it twisted but I do acknowledge the platform these shows provide for aspiring musicians but there needs to be a more holistic approach to groom the talents who take part in the competition.

“As I said, I won’t deny that a reality show gave me the platform to enter the industry. But most of the shows we have in Ghana are not impactful as they should be. Compared to other places where they take into account how to handle stardom, managerial issues and how to survive in the industry, our part of the world leaves you to struggle on your own especially if you don’t make it to the top of the competition.”

“Those who manage to get producers while on the show can get some good grooming, but if you are not lucky, then you are left with no choice but to struggle when you come out of the show.”

“It shouldn’t be only about contestants being groomed on just the singing aspect. We should equally focus on grooming them to know the nitty-gritty of the industry, how to handle stardom, the business aspect and how they can even gain international traction with their works. With that, we can make the desired impact we seek to make in our industry,” Mavis Asante added.