Gospel singer Celestine Donkor has strongly backed GHAMRO’s call for churches in the country to pay royalties for songs they use.
According to Donkor, churches don’t pay really well when you perform for them and thus the royalties would be a way for artists to recoup that revenue.
The call by the music rights organisation has brought friction between it and churches and religious artists, with most of them describing it as an attack on Christianity.
But Donkor is bucking that trend, strongly supporting the measure.
She said churches pay gospel musicians far less than secular artists make per show, making it difficult for gospel singers to make ends meet sometimes.
Commenting on the royalties, she said it’s all part of giving, which the churches are always preaching about.
“This royalty is an opportunity for the church to compensate us in a way. The church preaches giving and I want them to see it as a channel to give to the gospel artistes,” she said.