Accra: Entertainment pundit Ola Michael has asserted that women in Ghana’s music industry encounter more challenges than their male counterparts. Speaking on UTV’s United Showbiz on March 15, 2026, Ola Michael elaborated that this imbalance partially explains the greater success rate among male musicians compared to female artists in the industry.
According to Ghana Web, Ola Michael highlighted that female artists often struggle to cultivate and maintain the kind of rivalry that aids male musicians in expanding their fanbases. He remarked, “Women are at a disadvantage in the industry. It’s also the reason why men are more than women. Women are unable to sustain that rivalry that creates the fanbase they want between them.”
He further noted that the fanbases of female artists frequently lack the strength to reach a level where healthy competition can elevate their careers. “Their fanbase is also not too strong to even get into that rivalry stage where it keeps increasing and keeps at the level that the men h
ave,” he explained.
Ola Michael mentioned dancehall artists Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy as examples, attributing part of their success to the robust fanbases they command. “Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy are where they are probably because they have a certain fanbase that they are very active and supportive,” he shared.
He emphasized that for a woman to achieve the same status in Ghana’s music industry, she would need to exert significantly more effort than a man. “For a woman or a lady in the Ghana music industry to get to that level, you need to work harder than a man. They don’t get help, and that’s the truth,” he stated.
Using Ghanaian singer Sefa as an example, Ola Michael explained that female artists sometimes face additional challenges related to studio work and professional commitments. “If Sefa wants to record her EP, she has to probably record at 2 a.m. in the studio. She might have a boyfriend or a husband, so do you think her partner would allow her to be at the studio at that time?” he questioned.
He added that in many cases, partners of female artists may feel uneasy with them working late hours in studios predominantly occupied by men. “While the man knows she would be working with only men. In most cases, the partners would have to be at the studio with the artists,” he added.