4 Reasons Why Gospel Artists Tend to Enjoy Success Compared to Secular Artists: Kenyan Edition
12 September 2021
[Image Source: Victor Matara]
By Lydia M Joshua
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Gospel music is spiritual and soulful. Gospel music is also very instrumental in strengthening the faith of Christians as well as fulfilling their souls. The gospel genre can be traced back to the 17th century where people sang hymns and sacred songs, with an accompaniment of claps and steps to create rhythm.
Read Also : Guardian Angel vs Mr. Seed: Who is The King of Gospel Music in Kenya?
Today, the genre has taken over the world with gospel artists gaining both local and international success. Locally, gospel artists like Mercy Masika, Eunice Njeri, Sarah K, Gloria Muliro, Kambua, Jemima Thiong’o, Guardian Angel, Reuben Kigame and many more have been enjoying long lasting music careers in the industry. In fact, the genre has also been receiving more artists from the secular industry including Size 8 who made the switch in 2015 and Amani who switched in 2018.
So what are some of the reasons why gospel artists tend to enjoy longevity and success in the industry in comparison to their secular counterparts?
- Kenya is a Christian Country
According to a survey done in 2019 by Statista, 85% of Kenyans identify as Christians among which 33.4 percent were Protestants, 20.6 percent Catholics, 20.4 percent Evangelicals, and 7 percent from African Instituted Churches. This means that gospel artists have an assured 85% audience in the country who believe in the message conveyed through their music.
Read Also: Top Trending Kenyan Gospel Songs in August 2021 Featuring Shiru wa GP, Sarah K & Eunice Njeri
- Diverse Supporters
Gospel fans range from die-hard Christian fans to casual listeners who include the music in their diverse playlists. This support has prompted most media stations to include a segment of gospel music in the morning to enable people to start their day in good spirits. In addition, most public transport vehicles also include a gospel music playlist for their morning travelers for the same reason. This support has been crucial in growing the genre and ensuring that gospel music never goes out of style.
- Support from worship places and entertainment spots
Unlike secular music, gospel music is usually played in both worship places and also in different entertainment spots. This kind of unusual support continuously introduces fans from different belief systems to different gospel artists every day. In turn, this ensures continuous inflow of fans hence providing longevity for different gospel artists.
- Clean Content
A large percentage of gospel music follows the Christian religion which is governed by Biblical teachings. So, unlike their secular counterparts, gospel artists are required to live and follow Biblical teachings. This means avoiding scandals, which in turn helps them create clean content for their careers. As a way of ensuring they leverage on media airplay and dominate PSVs across the country, most gospel artists always produce clean content that cuts across all ages. This has made their songs also acceptable in some churches; thus increasing their fan base.
The above factors have been so influential in sustaining the careers of local gospel musicians. It is, however, important to note that consistency from the artists is also crucial in enhancing longevity. A gospel artist who drops songs irregularly has higher chances of flopping faster than a secular artist.
10 biggest gospel songs on Mdundo right now:
- Na You De Reign - Mercy Chinwo
- Excess Love -Mercy Chinwo
- Chinedum - Mercy Chinwo
- Hauwezi Kushindana - Goodluck Gozbert
- Amenitengeneza - Martha Mwaipaja
- Nifundishe Kunyamaza - Martha Mwaipaja
- Onememma - Mercy Chinwo
- Obinasom - Mercy Chinwo
- More than Gold - Judikay ft Mercy Chinwo
- Thamani ya Wokovu - Christina Shusho
10 biggest secular songs on Mdundo right now:
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