In order to profer solutions to the challenges facing Gospel music ministers as concerning media acceptability and Airplay, Music and Entertainment Gospel Awards organised a workshop last year to address some of the issues.

Excerpts (1) of Session Two from MEGA 2014 Music Workshop (Sept) – facilitated by Tokunbo Ojekunle, Wole Oni, Ayodeji Deji-Irawo & Oluyinka Davids

MUSIC & VIDEO PRODUCTION:
1) The Nigerian Broadcasting has been confused about how to deal with the issue of gospel music – and has therefore largely slotted it into Sunday belt format. This has consistently chastened the majority of gospel artistes in the country who are at a loss why this is so.

2) However, you must ask yourself: why do I want to make music? What is the purpose?

3) Almost every artiste seems to be going in the same direction. We don’t have the right content. We are limited in our creative reach to aspire operating at the international level.

4) Artistes are too much in a hurry to get through the production process – they focus too much on what they can make out of it. More time should be spent in producing and finessing your music.

5) Since your music is intended to touch lives in a way “other” music cannot, the gospel artistes must seek God’s intervention in getting the content right – not just depend on the ability to sing or write songs.

6) What basically separates the gospel music from the “other” music is the content! Repeat – CONTENT!

7) Producers must learn the rudiments of music; how to arrange vocals, what ambience is conducive for a song, etc.

8) There is a plethora of songs, but many lack direction. Many people have various (and often self-conceited) reasons why they want to produce videos for their songs. Hardly inspiring.

9) Quality interpretation of a song in video production is easily achievable if the songs produced have quality, relevance (literary content) and enduring visual elements (even at the point of song-writing).

10) What attracts the video director in any musical work is first the Sound Quality, and then the richness of the content. With these, the director is proud to bend backwards to work on such songs.
– Composed by FAJ