Dentaa Amoateng
Dentaa Amoateng, CEO of GUBA Awards and a consultant to the Recording Academy’s CEO, Harvey Mason Jr., has urged more Ghanaians to become members of the Grammy Recording Academy to boost the country’s chances of recognition at the prestigious awards.
Speaking on Hitz FM with Kwame Dadzie and Doreen Avio, Dentaa explained that the Grammy Awards are decided by members of the Academy, not by its executives.
“The process of the Grammy Awards is that you have to be a member of the Recording Academy to vote. It is voted on by producers, musicians, and people in the industry,” she said. “So more of us (Ghanaians) have to join to be able to vote.”
She also outlined the simple application process, noting that prospective members need two references — one from an existing member and another from a non-member who can verify their credentials.
Addressing concerns about non-Africans being eligible for the African Music Performance category, Dentaa said increased African participation in the Academy would help maintain the authenticity of the category.
Dentaa revealed plans to launch a campaign encouraging more Ghanaians to join the Academy, which currently has over 16,000 members, including more than 13,000 voting members.
Meanwhile, Ghanaian music executive Richie Mensah, CEO of Lynx Group of Companies, has been appointed as a voting member of the Recording Academy. His appointment has been widely celebrated as a major step forward for Ghana’s music industry.