Wendy Shay advocates for equal treatment in the Ghanaian Music Industry. Wendy Shay, the self-proclaimed dancehall queen of Ghana, has taken a bold stand against the unfair treatment and objectification of women in the music industry. In a recent interview on Berla Mundi’s Day Show on TV3, she voiced her displeasure with labeling female musicians as ‘female artistes,’ while simply referring to their male counterparts as ‘artistes.’
Passionately advocating for equal treatment, Wendy Shay emphasized that women in the music industry work just as hard as men, if not harder, and deserve recognition as artists without any gender distinctions. She questioned the use of ‘female artistes’ as a label, stating that male artists do not suffer the burden of such categorization. Questioning the use of ‘female artistes’ as a label, she pointed out the absence of such categorization for male artists.
Female Artistes
“It is not fair. First of all, I don’t even like the fact that people go like ‘female artistes’ because you don’t see our male counterparts being labeled as ‘male artistes.’ They are seen as artistes, so we should be seen as such. We are artistes,” Wendy Shay firmly asserted.
The talented singer-songwriter highlighted the tremendous efforts and dedication of female musicians in the industry, including herself and Sister Efya. She also emphasized that they put in a lot of hard work and sweat into their craft and deserve proper acknowledgment and credit for their contributions.
“Putting that aside, I think it’s not fair because there are so many women who are really working hard; like me, Wendy Shay. We have artistes like Sister Efya working hard. It’s about time Ghanaians or this part of our world acknowledge the hard work, effort, and sweat we put in,” Wendy Shay passionately stated.
A Cultural Mentality
Addressing the challenges women face in gaining recognition and leadership roles, Wendy Shay acknowledged that there is still a cultural mentality in this part of the world that tends to associate women primarily with household duties. However, she expressed hope that with time and progress, society will evolve to embrace women in leadership positions and appreciate their contributions in various fields, including music.
Wendy Shay’s advocacy for equal treatment and recognition of female artists in the music industry has sparked conversations and brought attention to the importance of gender equality in the entertainment world. As more artists like Wendy Shay speak out against objectification and discrimination, the hope is that the music industry will become a more inclusive and empowering space for all talents, regardless of gender.
