In this life, there are about three conditions under which you will be paid for what you do:
(1) Contract of service: employment contract – salary.
(2) Contract for services: client-contractor relationship – paid when you perform.
(3) Honorarium: you don’t officially charge, but a small amount of money is paid to you.
Unless and until there is a contract between you and the other person, you cannot legally demand payment. And an honorarium (sometimes euphemistically called ‘transport’) isn’t an official charge. And no one lives on honoraria: bro, ɛkɔm bɛde wo brutal!
Because payment can only be compelled if there is a prior agreement to that effect, showing up to perform does not automatically compel the other person to pay you anything.
So here’s the thing: it’s your talent. No one can compel you to perform if you don’t want to. If the other side is unprepared, unwilling or unable to pay, and you depend on that payment to live, then don’t perform. Go and perform somewhere and for someone else, where you will get paid. Or simply perform for nothing and move on.
Get another job that pays you. Then, if you must miss those rehearsals and services because the other jobs call, no one can justifiably begrudge you. [Ssshhh… ignore the claims that you’re working for Pharaoh or Caesar.]
My story? I don’t recall ever being paid one brown pesewa in all my 46 years of playing. So-so ‘God bless you for your talent saaaah.’ Eish, transport sef! But I determined in my first year at Legon that first, I couldn’t depend on this music thing for the kind of life I dreamed about. Because, ei… at the time, I bluntly said to myself that I didn’t even know any rich gospel musicians.
And second, I honestly didn’t have as much skill and time as I wanted or required to develop. You can say I didn’t have faith and was carnal. You’re probably right. There was therefore no guarantee that I would be the first well-to-do gospel/church musician; and I didn’t want to take the risk of finding out.
So, my guy or gal, think about the parable of the talents very broadly and very deeply. Develop your talent, but add to your talent. Learn to produce, track, record, mix, master, sound engineering, video production plus all the bells and whistles. You can even add paid asɔfodie. Why not? Simply, diversify. By these, you will create multiple income streams that might just sustain you.
But, like me, you can also take a little step back from being a musician and become what I call myself: a music hobbyist. Go to school, learn another trade, business, profession, or vocation, rely on that for living, and then play music when you like and for fun. Get a good pharoahic/caesaric job. Then the profession will sustain the hobby.
SUMMARY: Put yourself in the position where YOU decide where and when YOU want to play for free and where and when YOU want to play for a fee.
NB
This article by Ace Anan Ankomah was first published by graphic.com.gh on April 19, 2025 with the title “Dear [gospel/church] musician, music: for free or for a fee?”
