Gospel musician Perpetual Didier recently opened up about the hurdles faced by gospel artists in Ghana, sharing a particularly memorable and humbling story from her early days in the industry.
In an interview with Fiifi Praat on Kingdom FM, which was reported by MyNewsGh.com, Perpetual recounted an experience from about ten years ago when she performed at a church event and received food as payment instead of cash.
She remembered being invited to perform at a church program where a Ghanaian producer, who was attending for an album launch, approached her with the opportunity.
“I was pregnant at the time, but I recognized how vital this chance was for my career, so I decided to go for it,” she explained.
Full of energy and excitement, Perpetual looked forward to giving her best performance. Afterward, rather than the anticipated monetary compensation, the producer handed her tubers of yam and kontomire stew that they had purchased on their way home.
“On the day of the performance, I had a delightful meal and was excited to give my best on stage. After the event, the producer handed me tubers of yam that we had bought on the way home.
“I was expecting to receive an envelope with the yam, but that didn’t happen.”
While the experience served as a reality check, it also strengthened her resolve to navigate the complexities of the gospel music scene.
When asked about performers’ reactions to money being tossed at them during shows, Perpetual candidly noted, “Everyone has their own way of dealing with it. Personally, I would keep the money for myself.”
Her response was both lighthearted and practical, illustrating the expectation of compensation that artists have for their craft.