Gospel musician Cwesi Oteng has opened up about the difficult and often turbulent journey he faced when he first entered the Ghanaian gospel music scene.
In a candid interview on Joy Prime’s Changes, Oteng recounted how his fresh approach to gospel music sparked resentment and spiritual opposition from some of his fellow musicians and churchgoers.
“When I stepped out into gospel music, I was like a fresh idea, and I started breaking a lot of grounds where gospel had not entered,” Oteng shared.
His unique style, which included hits like I Win and God Dey Bless Me, resonated with many listeners, but it also made him a target of envy.
According to Oteng, his rise to stardom was met with resistance from established figures in the gospel music industry.
“Suddenly, doors were opening for gospel music. It also came with a lot of attacks. At a point, it’s a war spiritually and everything. Church people were attacking and said all sorts of things,” he explained.
The hostility towards his success was not just verbal; Oteng claimed that some individuals went to extreme lengths to undermine his career.
“Gospel musicians also felt like the guy has come to change the scene. People were doing all sorts of things. They took my album to places; people took it to cemeteries,” he revealed, describing the lengths to which certain people went in an attempt to block his breakthrough.
This experience, coupled with the pressure of maintaining his stardom, led to a decline in his prominence within the industry.
Oteng admitted that the attacks took a toll on his career, making it difficult for his newer tracks to gain traction and causing his name to gradually fade from the public eye.
In light of these challenges, the gospel musician made a conscious decision to step back from the spotlight and focus on rejuvenating himself.
“You also want to live long, and so when you realize that, you would want to re-energize yourself. Stardom is really my thing; I can leave the scene, go and take care of myself for a year and come back,” Oteng stated.
He emphasized that being constantly in the public eye was not something that suited his temperament, and he needed time to regroup and create music on his own terms.
Currently, Oteng is making his return to the music scene with a new song titled Favour.
The track, which he describes as a reminder for believers to recognize and declare the favour they have received, marks his effort to re-engage with his fans and remind them of the power of faith and positivity.
Despite the challenges he has faced, Oteng remains a resilient figure in the gospel music landscape, determined to push forward and remind his audience of their blessings and the importance of self-declaration.
