Music is Life, From Birth to Death- Wutah Kobby Calls for Respect for Veteran Musicians

Ghanaian musician Wutah Kobby is challenging a mindset that has plagued the creative industry for far too long: the notion that age limits the relevance of artists.

In an interview with Graphic Showbiz, Wutah Kobby passionately argued that no one should have the power to tell a creative when to stop working. For him, music, unlike sports, doesn’t come with a retirement age.

“Personally, I don’t think anybody has the right to make a creative stop working. Artistes should have the freedom to continue creating and performing as long as they want, regardless of age,” he stated.

In many professions, age is often seen as a barrier. Athletes, for instance, retire when their bodies can no longer perform at peak levels. But Wutah Kobby insists that this limitation doesn’t apply to music.

He sees music as a lifelong pursuit, rooted in human experience from birth to death. “The music profession has no age limit like let’s say sports, where an athlete, boxer or footballer retires due to old age. The story is different with us. We have no restrictions. Music is life; music is with us from birth and will be with us till death,” he explained, firmly planting his belief in the timelessness of artistic expression.

His remarks come in response to a broader issue in Ghana’s music industry, where older artists are often sidelined or written off. There is a pervasive notion that as musicians age, they lose their relevance or ability to connect with younger audiences. But Wutah Kobby disagrees, pointing to living examples of artists who continue to captivate audiences despite their years in the industry.

He recalls the recent performance of South African music legend Yvonne Chaka Chaka in Ghana, which saw the audience thoroughly enjoying her performance.

“Recently, Yvonne Chaka Chaka performed in Ghana and you could tell the audience enjoyed her performance. How long has she been doing music? But she still got what it takes to move an audience,” he remarked. To Wutah Kobby, the enthusiasm and joy sparked by Chaka Chaka’s performance is proof that talent and artistry transcend age.

However, Wutah Kobby’s sentiments are tinged with frustration over how Ghanaian society tends to dismiss older artists. “Unfortunately, Ghanaians will write older artistes off as if they don’t have any good thing to offer again,” he lamented. This trend, he believes, undermines the value of experience and the unique depth that seasoned musicians bring to their craft.

Despite these challenges, Wutah Kobby remains optimistic about the future, particularly with his upcoming project. He describes this period of creativity as a deeply spiritual time for him, and he hopes that audiences will embrace the new music he’s preparing to release.

“I am very hopeful the upcoming project will gain some good attention back home in Ghana. Great new music is coming, it’s a spiritual time for me, and I want to entreat everyone to make the project worthwhile,” he shared.

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