During an interview with Elsie Lamar on GhanaWeb TV, Adina, a Ghanaian singer, expressed her views on the significance of recognizing all contributors to a song during the creative process. She emphasized the importance of giving proper credit and ensuring fair financial compensation to those involved.
Adina underscored that song writing is a collaborative endeavour, and it is essential to acknowledge the contributions of everyone involved.
“I work with a lot of songwriters. Sometimes there’s somebody in the room when we are doing the song who will probably say, “let’s put this there”. That person is still recognized when we are doing the split sheets
“If anybody contributes to a song, they should be given props. And then when it’s royalties, they also get some money or whatever it is because they put in work,” she said.
In response to the common misconception that artists who don’t write their own songs are not considered real artists, Adina referenced renowned international artists such as Beyoncé, who also collaborate with songwriters. She emphasized that the act of songwriting should not diminish one’s identity as an artist.
Adina highlighted the need for education, stating that people should understand that songwriting is a normal practice and does not determine an artist’s legitimacy. She emphasized that individuals possess different gifts, whether it be playing beats, singing, or writing songs. Adina stressed that having different roles in the creative process does not make one person superior to another, as we all have unique gifts bestowed upon us by God.
Adina’s remarks are timely, given recent discussions surrounding song writing contributions in the Ghanaian music industry. The incident involving Ghanaian musicians Kuami Eugene and Mr Drew, where credits were disputed for a song, has further fueled the conversation.
Source: Pulse Ghana