“Making Music Today is the Cheapest it’s Ever Been” – Kwaisey Pee

Highlife musician Kwaisey Pee has asserted that producing and promoting music has become far cheaper and easier in recent years compared to the early days of his career.

In an interview with Accra Based Radio, the award-winning singer said technological advancements, particularly the rise of social media, have made music creation an accessible venture for almost anyone. He noted that tasks which once demanded significant financial investment and physical effort can now be handled with minimal cost.

Reflecting on earlier industry practices, he recalled the demanding nature of studio work in the past. “Our fathers were doing it the hard way. My dad told me how, back then, when they recorded in the studio, everything was done in one take, no rewinds or cutting and joining like we do nowadays. We did real music, the hardcore way,” he said.

Kwaisey Pee explained that music promotion also required extensive travel across the country. “We used to go to Sunyani, Brong Ahafo, Takoradi, you had to drive long distances. It meant spending more money. Music now is the cheapest thing to do; you don’t spend a lot,” he added.

He dismissed claims that modern artistes incur high costs in online promotion, arguing that many benefit from their large social media followings. “Most of them don’t pay money to stations or bloggers because they already have huge followers,” he said.

However, he admitted that older artistes still bear promotional costs because their fan base is less active online. “Some of us are still paying. We’re still pushing because our followers are not the social-media type. So when we release music, we still have to come to you, sit on radio, talk about it and promote it,” he stated.

Kwaisey Pee is currently preparing to celebrate his 25th anniversary in the music industry.