Nigerian soul singer Ikechukwu Eric Ahiauzu, also known as Ric Hassani, has given his opinion on why gospel singers switch to making secular music.
In an interview with HipTv on Monday, the singer explained that the switch occurs mostly because of fulfilment.
Ric Hassani further explained that the switch happens because the musician doesn’t have the gift of ministration.
Gospel is beyond singing. You have to be blessed to be able to interpret God’s words through music. For example, there is no way a Katy Perry would communicate God’s words through music the way CeCe Winans does. I feel like CeCe is blessed with being able to communicate the Holy Spirit through music. Whitney Houston is blessed in a different way. So, I don’t feel this idea of everybody must be in church, he said.
The singer who revealed that he started his career by making gospel music, stated that he quickly realized that it was not his calling.
Some of us were made for the world. I also have Christian songs. I’m a very strong Christian. In all my albums, there is at least one gospel song. But that’s not really my calling. I meant to impact the world in a different way, with a different kind of music. I’m not going to do it the way Frank Edwards or Mercy Chinwo is going to do it. If I enter church music now, I fit no bang. It’s not my thing, Ric Hassani said.
He also explained that for artists, it goes beyond just asking money, but finding fulfilment in their art. He stated that such satisfaction is beyond the financial gains.
People leaving gospel music for secular music is not about money. Creatives or people who blessed with these gifts like money, everybody likes money. But the real fulfilment is being able to do it and exist doing it. Even the Wizkids, the Burnas that have all the money in the world… If it was really about money, then Davido has no business doing anything because he has all the money he would ever need. So, it’s not really about money. The kind of satisfaction that comes from being able to think of an idea of thing and put it on the record and create music is beyond money. It’s bigger than any satisfaction money can give you, he said.
