Most New Artistes Are “Wannabes” – Rex Omar

Highlife musician Rex Omar has described majority of young musicians in the country as “wannabes.”

According to him, the new generation of musicians is in a hurry and not willing to learn from the older folks.

Speaking about creativity in the music industry with Natalia Andoh on Touch of Class on Class91.3FM on Thursday, 31 May 2018, Rex Omar said: “Some of them are creative but most of them are in a hurry, most of them are wannabes. They see somebody on TV, he does a video and he thinks he can also do it, but it doesn’t work that way.

“Artistic work is something that has to be in you. People were born with it and people learnt it. So, both ways, even if you were born with it, for you to become what you want to become, you have to still learn.

“Right now, the whole thing has been thrown to the dogs, let’s be honest with it, there is too much mediocrity in this system so much so that, even sense of music appreciation is very low. You listen to 10 different tracks in Ghana and they sound the same, you don’t know who is doing what.

“During our days, as soon as you hear Amakye Dede’s song, you’ll know this is Amakye Dede. As soon as you hear Lee Doudu, Nana Ampadu, AB Crenstil, Ampofo Agyei nobody tells you, you’ll know that this is it, because, their music had their personality in them, but right now, you can play 10 different songs and you don’t know who is doing what, because, they all sound the same and I think we should do something about it because it all has to do with creativity and originality”.

Rex Omar urged young musicians to learn from the older ones if they want to succeed in the industry.

According to him: “There is a sharp divide between the current generation of artistes and my generation and the generation I came to meet and I believe this thing must stop because I had a reference point. When I came I was listening to the Nana Ampadus, Obuoba J.A Adofos and A.B Crenstils and Jewel Ackahs and I was learning from them, so, I expect the current generation to learn from what they came to meet. That is the only way continuity will happen otherwise we’ll drift away.”