Ghanaian musician, Mzbel has opened up about the impact of her celebrity status on her personal life and the constraints it has placed on her in terms of activities she once enjoyed.
In an interview with Joy Prime , she revealed that her celebrity status has compelled her to conform to certain expectations to please the public and avoid criticism, which has left her feeling like her freedom has been restricted.
While Mzbel acknowledged the benefits of celebrity status, such as career opportunities and financial advantages, she also highlighted the challenges it brings.
“Sometimes it’s nice when people receive you well. Like when I went to the UK, people saw me and it felt good but then it felt weird too. At that point, I was happy. At the same time, I wish I was not Mzbel because then you want to feel free and eat and everybody is looking at you like they want to see how you do it. How does she take the spoon? How does she swallow? It’s weird. I can imagine.
“Sometimes you go into public and you want to use a bathroom and everybody is taking pictures with you. And you don’t want to use the bathroom because the people are wondering,”
She shared her experiences of being constantly scrutinized in public, where even simple actions like eating in a restaurant draw attention.
Mzbel also discussed the financial benefits of her celebrity status, as it has allowed her to build a successful business. Despite the advantages, she expressed a desire to have a more normal life, free from the constant spotlight and potential negative attention.
“I wish I was a normal person. I don’t enjoy fame. Nobody will say ‘I did that or I did this.’ People will not tell lies about me. People will not look for me and want to hurt me. But when you’re making the money, it’s nice. It’s nice. You hang out with somebody for a few minutes and it’s a lot of money,” she added.
She also highlighted the significant income disparities between celebrities and the average person, noting that even casual social outings can yield substantial earnings, but these benefits come at a price.
“I have a business and I know how much we pay people the whole month. But you will go hang out, just hang out, sit there as Mzbel and the money you are making is like 100 times what somebody is making a whole month. So it’s nice, but it comes with a price.”