Nigeria’s population makes it impossible to compare them with us – MzVee
Ghanaian songstress Vera Hamenoo-Kpeda, popularly known as MzVee, recently delved into the intricacies of the ongoing comparisons between the music scenes of Ghana and Nigeria. In a candid interview with Amansan Krakye, the host of Property FM in Cape Coast, MzVee expressed her concerns about the challenges posed by such comparisons, emphasizing the significant role population size plays in shaping the musical landscape.
“I think it’s doing both, but now more than anything, it’s not encouraging,” MzVee remarked, acknowledging the prevalent discussions around the Ghana-Nigeria music dynamic. However, she urged people to consider crucial factors often overlooked in these comparisons.
Addressing the host, MzVee highlighted the immense population difference between Ghana and Nigeria, emphasizing that the sheer size of Nigeria’s population makes a direct comparison challenging. “This music is a business, and depending on the size of your markets, that’s how you make a lot of money. So we have Ghana with 32 million people,” she explained.
Drawing attention to global music markets, MzVee pointed out countries like India with a billion people and the United States with over 400 million people. Notably, she focused on Nigeria, boasting a population exceeding 200 million people. “If 5 percent of 32 million people are streaming our music, and 5 percent of Nigerian people who are over 200 million are streaming their music, who’s making more money?” she posed, underlining the economic impact of population size on the music industry.
The insightful conversation with MzVee sheds light on the multifaceted nature of the Ghana-Nigeria music comparison, urging a nuanced understanding of the factors influencing success in the music business. As the two West African nations continue to shape the global music landscape, MzVee’s perspective prompts a reevaluation of the metrics used in these cross-border comparisons.
