Ghanaian singer Moliy told American-based media personality DJ Norie during an interview that his comments about her accent and the way she speaks English made her feel uncomfortable.
The conversation started off light, with DJ Norie complimenting Moliy’s voice, saying she sounded good and that he couldn’t detect a Ghanaian accent in her speech.
I have always been hesitant to be on a record label – Moliy
At first, Moliy thought he was simply complimenting how clear her voice was. However, the conversation took a turn that appeared to make the singer uneasy.
Moliy jokingly explained that the accent she was using during the interview wasn’t her natural one and said DJ Norie would have to meet her in Ghana to hear her “real” accent.
She added that English had always been her favorite subject in school, which might explain why she speaks it so comfortably.
However, DJ Noriee went further, telling her that she speaks more “proper” than even he did. What unsettled Moliy most was when he told her she did not sound like someone from a third-world country.
Moliy makes Ghana proud with show-stopping performance at BET Awards pre-show
That comment changed the mood of the Ghanaian singer.
She mentioned she did not like how the conversation was sounding and questioned whether he was suggesting that people from Ghana do not speak English well.
Moliy later explained that, while DJ Noriee may have intended his words as praise, the way he phrased them felt backhanded.
According to her, it came across as if he did not expect someone from Ghana to sound polished or articulate.
The conversation unfolded as follows:
DJ Noriee: “You know you speak English very well.”
DJ Noriee: “I don’t hear no Ghanaian in you.
Moliy: “And are you trying to say Ghanaians don’t speak good English?
DJ Noriee: “I got best friends of Ghanaians. You know, what I’m saying? Like, you have no Ghanaian like accent. Why?”
Moliy: “It’s fake. You should meet me in Ghana. Meet me in Ghana. You can hear the real Moliy actually. So I’ll see you there.”
DJ Noriee: “It’s just like clearly you speak more proper than me. I don’t know.”
Moliy: “English was actually my favourite subject.”
DJ Noriee: “Let me Google you. I’m not getting Nigerian. It might say something like you’re from Texas or something. Let me see. Let me see exactly where you’re from. You definitely sound clear. Ain’t nothing about you sounds anything from any any third world country or anything. So just stick a pin in that one.”
Moliy: “I don’t like how this is sounding.”
DJ Noriee: “I just like you sound proper. That’s all I’m saying. I’m just saying you sound very proper.”
Moliy: “I get that it’s a compliment, but it feels backhanded.
DJ Noriee: “Why does it feel backhanded?
Moliy: “Because it’s like, it’s almost like you’re saying, I don’t expect you to sound like this because you’re from Ghana.”
DJ Noriee: “Like I said to you a while ago, my love, all of my Ghanaian friends have a little, a little bit we can hear it. Forget it.”
Meanwhile watch GhanaWeb’s exclusive interview with Ajagurajah
AK/EB
