It is crystal clear that the female component of the secular music industry, especially highlife, is on the verge of extinction. The interest, passion and inspiration for budding female artistes to join the secular music train seems to be totally missing these days.

I cannot fathom why every female musician or singer wants to follow the gospel genre at the expense of gender parity in the secular music industry. Their individual contributions are very much needed on the secular scene.

At the moment, the percentage of female highlife musicians in the music industry is insignificant. Their number has been dwindling over the years as the likes of Akosua Agyapong, Adwoa Amankwaa, and several others have quit and turned their attention to gospel music.

More seriously, those who seem to be still holding the fort, such as good old Ewurama Badu, Afua Ampofowaa, and Mary Agyapong seldom churn out albums these days, thereby giving their male counterparts almost 100 per cent dominance. A similar situation applies to the hiplife music industry.

Considering the high rate at which females are joining the gospel music train day in day out, it seems as though secular music is now the preserve of males.

Whereas the gospel music scene has blossomed in number with a chunk of female musicians, the direct opposite is what is being witnessed in the secular music circles.

Up and coming female artistes who lack the flair for the gospel music genre should not force this upon themselves under the pretext of divine calling as has become the order of the day. They may even make it bigger with highlife.

The few in secular music should strive to bounce back strongly by taking inspiration from Ewura Esi’s nomination in four categories at the just-ended Ghana Music Awards.