By Philemon Kwarteng
Accra. Feb. 11. GNA – “Get The Artiste,” Ghana’s first online artiste booking platform for professionals and event organisers in the entertainment industry, has debuted with artistes including Amerado, Okyeame Kwame, Sista Afia, Abiana and Epixode, among others, joining the platform.
The platform seeks to ease the work of event organisers and people in the entertainment industry who would want to book an artiste for various shows and programs.
Speaking to GNA Entertainment on the sidelines of the launch, Mr Kwame Baah, a digital marketing expert and the head of the “Get The Artistes” initiative, said that the main goal of the platform is to serve as a bridge between the artistes and the event organizers.
He added that the new initiative will help curb the issues of artistes not showing up for shows and the scam surrounding the booking of artistes.
“Get The Artiste” is here to bridge the gap between event organisers or anybody who needs an artiste or the artiste’s management. We go as far as contacting the artistes and giving them the date for the event and making sure the artiste is there and on time, briefing them, and letting them know exactly what they are going to do beyond performing,” he said.
Ace musician Kwame Nsiah-Apau, popularly known as Okyeame Kwame, also told GNA that the new initiative will be of much benefit to the artistes as it will put them in easy contact.
“So the benefit is very simple. Now when people want to find us and do not know any of our relatives, they will be able to find us because an international professional platform is available for people to go through so that they will find us,” he said.
According to the Rap Doctor, as he is popularly known, the “Get The Artiste”platform is a new concept that will bring change and development to the entertainment industry by easing the work of artists and pushing the works of Ghanaian artists beyond their borders.
“For me, when I think of getting the artistes, the first thing that comes to mind is the bottom line. I am about to make money because more people will be able to find me. And secondly, the industry is about to survive, the industry is about to grow,” he added.
Benjamin Mainoo, an event organiser told GNA Entertainment that he was nearly scammed last year for artiste booking and that the initiative will curb the challenges that organisers face in order to reach artistes.
“Last year, we wanted to book Fameye, so we were dealing with the wrong person to the extent that we almost transferred about GHS10,000 as an initial deposit to the person. Something happened, so we halted, so if this platform is there, some of these issues can be avoided,” he said.
Castro Owusu Ansah Sarpong, an artiste manager, film director, and producer, added: “The whole thing is going to help the whole industry in the sense that it is going to bring all the artistes to one place like an ecosystem or hub, and it makes the work of the manager a lot easier in terms of maybe going to look for gigs and all.
“At the end of the day, it takes some burden off the manager. To me, in as much as it is going to be beneficial to the artistes, managers, and industry as a whole.”
GNA