The Ginger hitmaker, Gregory Bortey Newman, known in showbiz as King promise has asserted that he does not see an award as a means of determining the success of his musical career.
He made the claim in an interview on TV3, an Accra-based Television station on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, while answering a question on how he feels when he is about to release a new song knowing he is likely not get recognition for the work.
“ I don’t equate success to awards but to the fact that the songs do what it is supposed to do, which is getting to the people and making an impact because that is the most important thing”. He affirmed.
Speaking on why he thinks he doesn’t earn awards in Ghana these days, he said it feels funny to win awards and be nominated for awards outside Ghana only to come back and not win an award, yet he has no issue with the board of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) because he wouldn’t have performed at the awards at this year’s awards if the issue is of great concern to him.
“I’m Ghanaian. When I travel, and I’m doing tours or stuff, it’s very big. I win awards like Best African Artiste in Nigeria, I’m nominated for the mobiles and stuff. And then when you come back home, it’s kind of funny. If you are taking it to the world, you have to own your land as well.
“I have no issues with the VGMA, if I did I wouldn’t be on that stage to perform” He added.
King promise has received several nominations including the four nominations in the just-ended event after winning the songwriter of the year category with his CCTV hit in 2019 but none seem to have won him an award.
This has gotten many wondering, especially the fan base of King promise as well as industry players like Rex Omar as to why he has not been given even a single award after 2019 despite dropping hit songs.