VGMA new theme song below standard – Mark Okraku Mantey
President of the Creative Arts Council, Mark Okraku Mantey, says the New VGMA theme song lacks proper sound quality, way below the standard of a song supposed to live for the next years.
“The 1976 recording of the Osibisa ‘Warrior’ song sounds better than the latest VGMA song”, he concluded on Showbiz Extra, hosted by Anita Kumah on Luv FM in Kumasi.
He, however, applauded also Charterhouse for the initiative to compose a new song to lift the face of the awards scheme, though the event management group failed to consult him before composition.
“If you are to listen to the same song for twenty years, you’ll be tired, it’s a good initiative’, he told listeners.
Mr Okraku Mantey stated he is not the only one music person on the VGMA Board but as a music mogul, he was surprised VGMA to find out the organisers did not seek advice from these music personalities on the project.
“I’d have advised the VGMA not to have used any popular artiste and rather go for neutral people with talent whose voices can’t even be identified, so we can use this music to sell whoever”, he lamented.
Charterhouse’s VGMA newly-composed song titled, ‘Our Music Lives’, was sung by Kidi, Kuami Eugene, TeePhlow, Kwesi Arthur, Joe Mettle, Adina and Amandzeba.
Mr Okraku Mantey cited FIFA World Cup 2010 theme song, ‘Waving Flag’, by musician Kanaan, who was not popular but gained fame after the World Cup stressing it would have been best to use a not- so- popular artiste who, through the VGMA theme song, can gain popularity and fame.
Drawing from his rich technical know-how in music, he also said it is not enough just to put artistes together to compose a song.
“In music, there are two voices that if you pair you might get a bad sound”, Mr Okraku Mantey tutored, describing the composition of the VGMA theme song as a rushed job.
“With a generic song as this, the recording should have been tight and the sound should have been timeless. This can’t be a song which will last for 10 years”, he maintained.
In comparison to late Michael Jackson’s tracks, well recorded for specific purposes, Mr Okraku Mantey believes the board can do better.
“I think the VGMA Board can do better than this”, he emphasized.
He is strong in his opinion that in the composing a generic song, Charterhouse should have contacted music moguls, seniors and other experts to plan everything.