Award-winning Neo singer Efya Nokturnal has bemoaned the prevalent culture of feeding on negative news in Ghana.
In a revelatory interview with Berla Mudi on The Day show, she shared her sadness and frustration with the constant focus on negativity which has pushed her to sometimes contemplate quitting music altogether.
“I think Ghanaians like to feed on negative energy. I don’t know. Maybe it’s sexual or something. I don’t know if it is, actually. I don’t know. But I feel like if we would all try just a little bit more to focus on the positivity of the situation but someone has an issue then we are all happy regardless of how much it affects the person’s career and life,” she shared.
According to the “Best in Me” hitmaker, Ghanaians give attention to negative news compared to positive achievements and the energy invested in negative news could instead be channelled into highlighting positive developments within the Ghanaian music industry.
“Like the amount of energy that everybody puts into the negative news if it’s the same amount of energy that they put into the positive news right? It will be a good balance. But I think they love it more. But I think it’s human nature,” she pointed out.
The award-winning artist also took the opportunity to highlight her own accomplishments, including being the first female artist to break records and organizing the first Afrobeat festival in Sanya with artists from Ghana and Nigeria.
“Well, sometimes it makes me feel really sad because I work really hard to put Ghana on the map,” she explained, “And then it’s like everybody just wants to feed into the negative stuff that they hear about me and want to choose to believe that instead of the fact that I was the first female artist to break the record that I break and nobody’s broken my record
However, she expressed disappointment that these achievements often go unnoticed, overshadowed by unfounded rumours and negative narratives.
She further stated, “Or like me and a group of people from Ghana and Nigeria and stuff went all the way to Sanya to have the first Afro-beat festival, you understand? And nobody talks about that, but you hear a little bad thing and that’s what you want to feed on.”
The toll of constantly battling negative perceptions took a toll on Efya’s emotional well-being who revealed that she felt disheartened that her hard work and positive contributions were overshadowed by baseless gossip.
“Because if you guys are going to make it seem like it’s weird, why shouldn’t I stop? But no. Do you understand?” she queried
Despite her numerous accolades and milestones, she expressed a sense of discouragement, contemplating the idea of stepping away from music altogether due to the relentless scrutiny.
“Like, if I talk about it now, Bella, that’s all everybody’s going to talk about. Nobody’s going to talk about the fact that I dropped a new song. That is amazing. That is empowering, you understand? That’s supposed to make women feel great and also men, because it’s not just about that,” she revealed.
Efya questioned the fascination with negativity, speculating that it might be a human tendency to be drawn to such stories.
She acknowledged that the love for drama and conflicts can be captivating for many, but she urged the public to redirect their attention towards appreciating and acknowledging the positive aspects of her career and the music industry as a whole.
The singer acknowledged that speaking out about the issue would likely fuel further discussions about the negative aspects, overshadowing her recent music release.
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