Gospel musician Christiana Love Antwi, popularly known as Obaapa Christy, has dismissed concerns about contemporary gospel songs being played in nightclubs, insisting that the location should not determine the impact a song can have on its listener.

According to the veteran gospel musician, gospel music has never been restricted to churches or religious gatherings, revealing that her song Metease was played in nightclubs years ago.

Speaking with Nana Ama Intsiful on Oyerepa Breakfast Time, Obaapa Christy said she sees nothing wrong with gospel songs being played in entertainment venues, arguing that the focus should rather be on the person listening and the message of the song.

“That thing has been there for long. That time I released my song ‘Metease’, they used to play it at the club. It is normal. Everyone can listen to music. You can’t stop someone from playing a particular song. Whether it’s the club or anywhere else, the listener is the important thing. What is the song coming to do in their lives? That is what you should think about, but not the place.

“So, I don’t see anything bad about it. If someone chooses to play gospel at the club, I think someone has a share in it, and that’s why it’s being played,” she said.

The ‘Moving Forward’ hitmaker further explained that she does not judge people based on where they choose to socialise, stressing that matters of morality and faith ultimately depend on an individual’s relationship with God.

“I think everyone has his or her own opinion about others. That is not what God is concerned about. It is not what comes from your mouth that God looks at to judge others. So, in my life, I don’t judge anyone because God has not judged me for me to condemn others,” she said.

Obaapa Christy, who has remained one of Ghana’s prominent gospel voices for decades, added that her songs are sometimes played in places some Christians may consider inappropriate, including shrines, but she does not see that as a reason to condemn the music.

“Wherever they will play my song, even at shrines, they use it to dance because God created the fetish priest. He or she also knows God and also knows the power that music carries. There’s nothing wrong with that. If they mostly play my songs there, it will help,” she stated.

She concluded by stressing that gospel music should be viewed as a tool for reaching people rather than something confined to a particular environment.

“God is everywhere, and He didn’t come for the righteous. If you see yourself to be perfect, you are not the reason God came here. He came for the condemned ones to rebrand them,” Obaapa Christy said.

Her comments highlight the changing landscape of Ghana’s gospel music, where contemporary gospel artistes increasingly blend modern sounds and reach audiences beyond traditional church settings while maintaining that the message remains the central purpose of the music.

Watch the interview here:

Source: Yvonne Nyarko Agyemang