Samini to play COVID-19 virtual concert from Canada

Speaking to Music In Africa, Samini said the concert would seek to spread awareness about the virus and encouraged people to stay home.

“The concert is to help drum into the minds of Africans about the global pandemic,” he said. “This is the best time to stay together as one Africa and one world. I want to use this medium to implore all to stay home and stay safe to avoid the spread as we witness COVID-19 vanish gradually from the surface of this Earth.”

Samini said he was also looking forward to reconnecting with his fans around the world. “Performance has always been my strength as an artist. It is always a happy moment to know that you are appreciated for what you do."

Untamed is also the title of his 22-track album released in 2018. The album peaked at No 8 on the Billboard Reggae Chart barely two weeks after its release and won the Reggaeville Album of the Year in 2019. “It became the first African album to achieve that milestone, making me the first African artist to do so accordingly,” Samini said.

The COVID-19 crisis has put many musicians out of work, especially those who generate an income from live performances, and the situation has prodded many of them to think of different ways to make a living. Samini says musicians should envision themselves as entrepreneurs. In April, he was named among the four most impressive musician-entrepreneurs on the Top 50 Young CEOs in Ghana list, as the CEO of High Grade Farms.

“It has always been my passion to be a farmer,” he said. “That was what gave birth to High Grade Farms. We all grew up with many desires, but one cannot activate all at a go. I think it is a great avenue for people in the field of art to engage in something else apart from the stage to set an example for their fans, followers and the world, especially Africans to know more about hard work and its dividends.”

Asked to comment on the recent Alliance For Change in Ghana Music online campaign, which seeks to advocate for, educate and create realistic and proactive solutions to the challenges in the sector, Samini said: "I have always been an advocate to have our music systems run right in terms of royalties and intellectual property to make sure that creative people get what they deserve so that their families and the next generation can benefit from their works. I even took to my social media to add my voice to #AllianceForChange."

The Untamed concert will be streamed live from Canada via Samini's YouTube channel at 8pm GMT. Samini has been living in Canada for the past three months due to international lockdowns and travel restrictions.