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Global Citizen Festival invested in us – Gyakie clarifies 'paid in full' comment

Award-wining singer, Gyakie has given more insight into her claim that she was paid in full to perform at the Global Citizen Festival held in Accra last weekend.

Gyakie

The “Songbird” had earlier revealed on 3FM Drive with Giovani Caleb that she and her crew were paid in full for their participation in the 2022 Global Citizen Festival in Accra.

“Yes, everybody that was on the stage was obviously paid. The dancers, the choristers, the band. Everybody,” she told Giovani.

Gyakie also confirmed she was paid a full amount.

“Yes. Absolutely. Every single person was paid,” she added.

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Her statement punched holes in the viral words of Kojo Poku of Big Ideas, who said that the show was predominantly charity work. According to Kojo Poku, none of the artiste who performed that day were paid for their stage appearance.

He said: “I have to say that no artist was paid a performance fee for this. Everyone who mounted the stage did so out of the benevolence of their heart and the Global Citizen because it’s bigger than how much you’ll make out of a performance on that stage.”

However, in a twist of events, Gyakie has in a Twitter post explained what she meant by she was paid in full.

According to her, her statement paid in full meant organizers of the event invested in their performances.

She tweeted: “How on earth do we have a big event like Global Citizen, and you assume everything is completely free? People worked on it for days to make this successful. When I say we were paid and everyone on stage was paid, I only meant that there was an investment in the performances.”

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Gyakie continued to explain that their participation supported the cause (poverty eradication). She goes on to say that she did not receive payment but received an ‘investment’.

“We all believed in the cause and the change it will bring hence agreeing to be a part of it. Yes, Global Citizen did not pay us for our performances but invested in our performances and made sure the team was good and comfortable,” she continued. “The military, the band, dancers, costumiers and other stage hands had to dress, eat and transport themselves there. How will that be possible if there is no investment?”

The Global Citizen Festival 2022 came off at the Black Star Square on September 24. The evening had stars from around the world and within Ghana graced the show.

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From stage design and sound to artists’ craft and delivery, audiences both at the Black Star square and at home were captivated by the event.

The event saw the likes of Stonebwoy, Sarkodie, Gyakie, Yaw Tog, Kwesi Arthur, Oxlade, Tiwa Savage, Tems and Pheelz mount the stage to deliver electrifying performances on the night.

The night was also crowned by stunning performances from multiple-award-winning American superstar Usher, UK’s Stormzy as well as American R&B singer SZA.

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