Not everyone is happy with Take it Slow, Willy Paul’s new video featuring Sauti Sol. It was expected.
“Baby najua kweli unataka, hata mimi at some point uwanga nataka, but niko na baba ndani ya maisha...” Willy Paul sings as a video vixen gets mad with him in the sensual scene that has a debate raging.
Some gospel singers wonder what business Willy Paul has to do with Sauti Sol, a secular group, leave alone sing a ‘sex’ song.
It has been long coming. Quite openly, Willy Paul, who is now being branded a rebel in the gospel scene, has been expressing his desire to work with Diamond as well as other secular artistes. This difference is seen as a contributing factor to his absence in this year’s Groove Awards.
And it is not just Willy Paul who seems to be taking a different direction as a number of gospel singers have lately changed the beat. The line between secular and gospel has become blurred.
A few months ago, upcoming gospel star M4J did his own version of Diamond’s Utanipenda single. Before then, Jimmy Gait had done a cover of Adelle’s Hello.
“The truth is that there is a big rift between gospel artistes right now. The industry is so divided and I don’t think this is something healthy. Every artiste has a right to sing and pass out whatever message they want and I think some people are being judged harshly,” said Alliwah, reacting to the goings-on in the gospel industry.
“I think it is public knowledge that the cartels we have in the gospel industry are killing the industry. A house that is divided cannot stand,” he added.
Speaking to Pulse, newcomer star Papa Dennis said that he was aware that some big shots in the gospel industry do not want to work with him as he does not prescribe to their school of thought.
“We approached one of the leading gospel stables to hire equipment for my last video recording. They said it would cost us about Sh2 million and when we offered to pay, they said they were not interested working with us,” Papa Dennis told Pulse.
“I know that even some gospel DJs who run gospel TVs shows are not willing to support our content as they have their own friends whom they are pushing. It is not shocking that my music is even being played more by international stations and not Kenyan stations,” he added saying that this is one of the reasons why the local gospel industry is no longer vibrant.
Even though she did not give a cold shoulder when she declined her Groove nomination last week, popular Rift Valley singer Lilian Rotich’s action was also viewed by some as a case of discontentment with some of her fellow gospel artistes.
She said she had been nominated for eight years but had never won.
“For the past eight years running, I have been nominated in this category and even though I have never won, I acknowledge that it has projected my ministry to the national and international platform. However, I believe that there is so much talent in this region and specifically the Kalenjin community. I have participated in mentoring over 123 artistes from the region and these talents are equally good with hunger to grow and bless souls.”
“I, therefore, take this opportunity to turn down the Groove 2016 Awards nomination...I also advise Groove Awards to spread their wings and reach out to these talented and emerging artistes by nominating them in the future as there is no need of filling up a category slot that another dedicated, hardworking and talented artiste would have won,” she wrote.
