GOSPEL industry player, Nii Noi, has called on stakeholders to set aside their differences and rally behind nominees following the debate surrounding the release of this year’s Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) nomination list.

His appeal comes amid intense deliberation over the list, particularly the absence of Piesie Esther in the Artiste of the Year category, despite what many describe as a strong year for the singer.

However, fellow gospel act Diana Hamilton secured a slot in the topmost category, making her the only gospel artiste in the race.

Speaking to Graphic Showbiz on Tuesday, March 17, he explained that the Artiste of the Year category is highly competitive and not genre-based, meaning gospel artistes must compete directly with acts from other genres using the same benchmarks.

“It’s not a gospel category. It’s a general category, so every artiste is assessed using the same structure — from releases to performances, reach and overall influence within the year,” he said.

According to him, nominations, particularly for the Artiste of the Year category, are determined by clearly defined criteria, including overall impact, visibility, performance metrics and activities within the year under review.

He noted that although Piesie Esther delivered the hit song Nyame Ye, meeting the requirements for a nomination in the ultimate category requires more than just producing a hit.

“She is undoubtedly talented and has done great work over the years, but when you look at the performance sheet for the year under review, I don’t think she makes the cut for that category,” he said.

Nii Noi added that Diana Hamilton’s nomination reflects her ability to meet the necessary requirements during the period under review, earning her a place in that category.

Beyond the headline category, he argued that gospel music continues to enjoy strong representation across the awards scheme due to its evolving structure.

He pointed to the division of gospel into traditional and contemporary categories, as well as the presence of gospel artistes in major general categories such as Vocal Performance, Songwriter of the Year and New Artiste of the Year.

“When you look at the general categories, you’ll see that gospel artistes are well represented. In Male Vocalist, there’s Perez Muzik; in Female Vocalist, Grace Charles and Lordina Sopranu have earned spots; Songwriter of the Year has Pastor Kofi Boham contending; New Artiste of the Year includes Adom Kiki; Artiste of the Year features Diana Hamilton, while Song of the Year has Piesie Esther.

“So clearly, gospel is present across these general categories. The structure allows gospel artistes to compete not just within their space but across the board when they meet the criteria,” he explained.

While acknowledging that concerns raised by fans and industry players are valid, Nii Noi urged the fraternity to move beyond the debate and focus on collective support.

“At this point, we should move past the arguments and support Diana Hamilton as she represents the gospel community in the topmost category,” he said.

He also cautioned against allowing disagreements to create divisions within the industry.

“It’s not about whether people have opinions — that’s normal. The key is how we handle them. We must reflect the values we preach: love, unity and maturity,” he added.

Nii Noi concluded by reminding gospel artistes to prioritise their core mission of ministry and impact, describing awards as a by-product of meaningful work.

“People may forget sermons, but they remember songs for years. That tells you the power of gospel music. Let’s focus on the impact, and the recognition will follow,” he said.