Lawyer and musician Ace Ankomah has pointed out that the usual separation between gospel music and secular music is not as clear as often portrayed.
He made these statements while speaking on the dilemma often faced by some gospel artistes who are subjected to backlash for performing with secular musicians.
“We have a problem where the church has a big issue with what we call secular music. If I am a musician who also goes to church, and the next day I am seen on TV performing with what are called secular artistes, I’ll be in a lot of trouble,” he said in an interview with Kwame Dadzie on Joy FM.
Ace Ankomah stated that despite the discrimination, many gospel songs share the same chord progressions and melodies as secular highlife music, blurring the lines between the two genres.
“A lot of some songs that were deemed secular have found their way into the church. If I pick a basic Yaw Amponsah progression, it will play several gospel songs. And several secular songs. Yeah. I have a list of them that I sit down and I just laugh,” he said.
He added, “We have a progression of what we use for praise. But it didn’t start in the church. We learnt it from the highlife groups. So have we by changing the lyrics, spiritualised it?” he shared.
ID/EB
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