Ghana Gospel music singer Joseph Oscar Mettle was crowned this weekend, Artiste of the Year in Ghana, making history as the first gospel singer to win the Award in 17 years.
Although the West African nation is a Christian dominated country, it’s the first time for a gospel musician to rise up to the ultimate award.
“For every gospel musician in this house, I want to say that the door is open,” he said during his acceptance speech in the capital Accra.
Joseph Oscar Mettle was in the race with the country’s best artists from the HipHop and Hip-life genres including BET and MTV Awards winner Sarkodie, famous artists like E.L, Stonebwoy, MzVee, and Medikal.
Apart from the Artist of the Year award, Mettle beat Ogya Mensah, Afriyie, Akwaboah, Sonnie Badu, and Ernest Opoku to win the Best Male Vocalist of the Year award.
“The Ghana Music Award Scheme has become the barometer by which Ghanaian musicians measure their success each year and undoubtedly serves as an inspiration and aspiration to the entire music industry,” organisers told reporters after the ceremony.
In 2016, Mettle won the Best Male Artist in Africa at the RIGA awards in Johannesburg after beating colleague musicians from Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and South Africa.
Joe Mettle has released several gospel songs and won multiple awards with hits including “Akokyem Nyame”; “Medo Wo”; “Ayeyi Nnwom”; “Jehovah Praise”; and “Onwanwani”.