Fred Kyei Mensah
Veteran music producer and sound engineer, Fred Kyei Mensah, popularly known as Fredyma, has disagreed with Prophet Nigel Gaisie’s claim that church instrumentalists are not financially successful.
Speaking on Onua FM, Fredyma expressed surprise at the prophet’s comments, noting that Nigel Gaisie personally knows him and is aware of his accomplishments in the music industry.
“I disagree with Prophet Nigel Gaisie. Me, as an instrumentalist, has he not seen that I’m doing well? I first worked at Shell as a fuel station manager and didn’t get anything, but through music I’ve supported three of my children through university, bought land, and built a house. For the past 35 years, everything I’ve achieved has come from music,” he stated.
The producer explained that his success story is proof that instrumentalists can build stable and rewarding lives through dedication to their craft. He added that his financial breakthrough only came after he fully committed himself to music.
Fredyma’s remarks were in response to a statement made by Prophet Nigel Gaisie during a recent church service, where the clergyman claimed that in nearly 28 years of ministry, he had never met a wealthy church instrumentalist.
“In my nearly 28 years in ministry, I have never seen a wealthy instrumentalist. The singers are not far from that either. You’ll see them at washing bays washing cars or doing other small jobs just to survive most of the time,” Prophet Gaisie had said.
Fredyma, however, insisted that such a generalisation does not reflect the reality of many musicians who have built sustainable careers, both within and outside the church.