In the build-up to announcing its nomination list, the Impact Gospel Awards has promised to make most a bullish entry into the music scene.
Most award shows in Kenya have been decided by popular vote, a fact that analyst have felt has given unfair attention to artists who are able to gather support while ignoring those who have good content.
Structured like the Grammies and Oscar where nominations and winners are determined by an Academy of experts, the awards will give weight to merit and not popularity.
Run by HTA Hifadhi Talanta Africa the award hopes to negotiate the rather murky awards industry by taking the judge based approach.
A move that Academy Board members predict will yield very unexpected results.
Jackson Kamau aka Deejay Soxxy is a key figure in Gospel Music and a member of the board.
Speaking exclusively to Mpasho he said.
“WE ARE OUT TO DISCOVER NEW ARTISTES WHO’VE NEVER BEEN CELEBRATED BEFORE. IN THE PAST WE’VE HAD BIG ARTISTS WHO CAN MOBILIZE MASSES TO VOTE FOR THEM AND IN THE END WE RECYCLE THE SAME BRANDS. FOR OUR LIST MUSIC DOESN’T HAVE TO BE MAINSTREAM TO BE CONSIDERED. GOSPEL MUSIC SHOULD ONLY BE FOR THE AUDIENCE OF ONE; GOD.”
The award show also aims to give a voice to groups of people who have been victimized by existing structures.
Scandals of ladies who are forced to compromise themselves to get ahead in music have dogged the media for years.
Eve Bahati, a relatively new artist, sat in the 2020 craft committee that picked the nomination list.
“IT WAS HUMBLING TO BE PICKED AS A MEMBER OF THIS PRESTIGIOUS COMMITTEE, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE IMPACT THAT GOSPEL ARTIST HAVE AND NOTHING ELSE,” SHE SAID.
“WHEN YOU CELEBRATE THOSE WHO ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING YOU ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO DO THE SAME.”
The final list is expected to be released anytime this weekend and only God knows who it will hold.