Sista Afia Speaks On Bias Against Female Artistes In Ghana

While the Ghanaian music scene appears to be a thriving and competitive for hitmakers, conversations about the disparity in how male and female artistes are supported, invested in, and projected to the world is rising.

In a recent interview on 3Music TV, artiste Sista Afia and industry veteran DJ Lotto Bill shed light on the barriers that continue to hold female talent back from achieving the same level of industry dominance as their male counterparts.

Sista Afia, who operates as an independent artiste, highlighted the intense pressure on women in the industry to navigate success without the same backing given to their male peers. 

"When it comes to putting money like investments, we don't really get that," Sista Afia explained. 

"The ones that really get the more attention are the ones where there's too much money inside."

According to her, this means independent female artistes have to bear the full weight of production, promotion, and brand management alone, a "crazy" feat that often goes unrecognized by audiences who only see the final projects.

Adding his voice, DJ Lotto Bill, whose long career has given him a unique perspective on the evolution of the scene, did not mince words when discussing the industry’s bias. He noted that the focus of the Ghanaian music market remains largely carved for male artistes.

"Sometimes it’s very hard for the females to be projected out there like that," DJ Lotto Bill noted. 

He argued that if the industry were to allocate equal time and focus to female stars, audiences would discover the depth and quality of music that is currently being overshadowed. 

Despite the challenges, Sista Afia is determined to pushing back against the "underrated" label by focusing on versatility, cross-genre collaboration, and maintaining high production standards on her upcoming album, Queen Solomon vol. 2.