Ghanaian songstress Sista Afia has opened up about the challenges female artistes face in the music industry, highlighting societal pressures, gender biases, and the constant fear of rumors as major hurdles.
In a candid interview with Neat FM, the Jeje hitmaker revealed how these struggles have influenced her career, pushing her to remain independent and cautious in her professional relationships.
She emphasized that much of the stress female artistes endure stems from the public’s tendency to speculate about their personal lives.
“Maybe it’s because I am a woman, I can’t mingle with a man for long. The moment I mingle with a man, rumours start flying that I have an affair with him,” she said.
This, she noted, limits opportunities for mentorship and collaboration, as female artistes are often hesitant to associate with male industry players to avoid being labelled or misrepresented.
“We can’t even have godfathers or male mentors. The moment we get one, rumours come out that the person is a sugar daddy,” she added.
Sista Afia emphasised that most of the stories about female artistes are based on speculations, recounting instances where innocent outings with male friends were misconstrued as romantic relationships.
The singer also highlighted the inappropriate advances some men make under the guise of offering help.
“A man can reach out to me and say, ‘Afia, I like you, I want to help you.’ They don’t say ‘I want to help you’; they start with ‘I like you.’ Then you know what they want,” she added.
This, she said, has made her cautious and determined to remain independent in her career.
