Ghanaian singer Kweku Darlington has disclosed the fee he would charge to perform at a political event as the country prepares for the December 7 elections. Speaking with Nana Kwesi Bliss on Class 91.3 FM’s Saturday afternoon entertainment show, Class Xtra, Darlington, known for his hit song “Sika Kankan,” emphasized that music is his profession and, as a businessman, he is open to performing at political rallies.
“I could say, ‘Your Excellency, since it’s you who is asking for this service, give me only GHS80,000 or GHS90,000 to perform. I’ll go and perform, and if another party calls, I’ll do the same,’” Darlington revealed. He added that while he is willing to perform at political events, he is not prepared to record or release a campaign song.
“The only thing I will not do is the campaign song because, in that case, you’ve limited and put yourself in a box,” he explained. Darlington expressed concern that producing a campaign song could significantly impact his career, especially given his current standing in the industry. “If I’ve achieved everything I need to in music, I can take huge amounts, 40 billion, 50 billion, and do a campaign song. However, I’m not yet where I need to be, and I wouldn’t want to put myself in that box,” he said.
During election seasons, it is common for musicians to create songs for political parties to support their campaigns. Notable examples include Daddy Lumba’s “Nana Y3 Winner” for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Diana Asamoah’s “Meba Dofo” during the 2020 elections, Nacee’s “Onaapo” for former President John Dramani Mahama, and Shatta Wale’s “Mahama Paper.”
