Ghanaian singer Sista Afia
As the 2025 Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMAs) fever begins, Ghanaian singer Sista Afia has voiced her frustration over being consistently overlooked by the awards scheme.
The ‘Keteke Soldier’ hitmaker expressed her disappointment, stating that her hard work over the years has not been adequately recognized.
In an interview with Graphic Showbiz, Sista Afia revealed that her dissatisfaction with the TGMA began in 2017 when her hit song ‘Jeje’ which featured Shatta Wale, failed to secure a nomination.
Despite the song’s success, she felt snubbed, and the trend continued until 2021 when she finally received nominations for ‘Corner Corner’ featuring Kelvyn Boy and ‘Weather’ featuring Medikal.
“I haven’t been satisfied with the few TGMA nominations I’ve received. When I released ‘Jeje,’ I didn’t get any nomination, even though the song was huge. It wasn’t until I dropped ‘Corner Corner’ and ‘Weather’ in 2021 that I got recognized. Since then, I haven’t received any nominations, and that has been a great concern to me,” she said.
Her 2022 release, ‘Asuoden,’ and subsequent songs have not earned any nominations, prompting her to call out the organizers last year.
Despite the setbacks, Sista Afia remains hopeful for this year’s awards. With her 2024 release, ‘2 Things,’ she is targeting nominations in three categories: ‘Highlife Song of the Year,’ ‘Highlife Artiste of the Year,’ and ‘Collaboration of the Year.’
Beyond her music career, Sista Afia emphasized the importance of artistes giving back to society.
According to her, musicians have a moral obligation to use their influence for the greater good, whether by donating resources to schools, supporting vulnerable individuals, or driving social initiatives.
“As musicians, we can contribute when we come together as a group to help society in many ways. We can print books for students who lack study materials, support disabled children, or assist anyone in need.
“We shouldn’t just stay at home writing songs; we need to actively create positive change in society. Even the little we can do means a lot,” she stated.
ID/KA