Up-and-coming gospel musicians performing Obaapa Christy‘s songs without asking for permission is something the celebrated singer says she has come to accept rather than challenge.
The veteran gospel artiste believes the trend reflects the realities of the music industry, pointing out that many established musicians also relied on songs by senior ministers while finding their footing. In her view, the difference today is that young artistes have far more opportunities to reach audiences than previous generations ever had.
Speaking during a recent interview on Hitz FM, Obaapa Christy said her generation had limited avenues to showcase their gifts, with radio and television serving as the few available platforms.
“Many young musicians use my songs without permission. Back then, when we sang other people’s songs in church, we only had radio and television, and even those platforms were limited.
“Things have changed today, but does that mean you have to have people arrested just because they sang your song? We also sang other people’s songs before we got to where we are today,” she explained.
She said those experiences have shaped her outlook, making her reluctant to confront or report younger musicians who perform her songs without authorisation.
Obaapa Christy argued that if social media had existed when she was starting her career, many artistes from her generation would likely have used well-known songs in a similar way to expand their audience.
“If social media had existed during our time, I’m sure many musicians from our generation would also have used other people’s songs to grow their platforms,” she said.
The award-winning singer also acknowledged that several content creators and musicians have built sizeable online audiences using her music, particularly on YouTube and other social media platforms. Rather than seeing it as exploitation, she believes there is room for everyone to succeed.
“Some of them are even earning a living from the numbers they’ve built using my songs, and I don’t see that as a bad thing. God has a way of blessing all of us,” she clarified.
Beyond the discussion on music and copyright, Obaapa Christy is preparing for this year’s edition of her annual worship event, Royal Praise.
The 2026 programme is scheduled for August 9 at UPSA in Accra and will feature performances from Empress Gifty, Joyce Blessing, Uncle Ato, Celestine Donkor, Akesse Brempong and Kwaku Gyasi.
Watch what she said below.
"Do you always have to have people arrested for singing your song?" — Obaapa Christy#HitzPraiseZone pic.twitter.com/LSSL1T3J4c
— Hitz 103.9 FM (@Hitz1039FM) August 2, 2026
