The Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA), formerly known as the VGMA, has proudly held its place as Ghana’s biggest music awards show for 26 years, celebrating not only musical excellence but also the unseen effort behind the scenes that makes our industry thrive.
With such a legacy and the credibility the TGMA has built over the years, it’s increasingly disappointing to see some of our biggest stars showing up to the red carpet in outfits that seem hastily chosen and underwhelming for an event of this magnitude.
Take King Promise, the man of the moment and this year’s Artiste of the Year. I choose to highlight King Promise specifically because he is undeniably the man of the moment. While many artists are doing well, King Promise’s current relevance and momentum make him the clear focus for this piece. Despite his historic win, his red carpet appearance raised eyebrows. Dressed in a simple white suit jacket, blue jeans, and a cap, the look lacked the boldness and sophistication expected from someone at the top of their game.
King Promise’s appearance at the 26th TGMA
Unfortunately, this was not an isolated case. This year’s TGMA red carpet felt uninspired across the board. The lack of creativity in styling reflected a deeper issue: a gap in collaboration between our celebrities and trained fashion professionals. In Ghana, it’s not uncommon for dressmakers to market themselves as fashion designers. But red carpet fashion is more than stitching clothes, it’s storytelling, brand-building, and image projection.
What we’re witnessing now is a growing disconnect between the calibre of our artists and the quality of their red carpet presence. Some outfits honestly resembled those infamous “What I ordered vs. What I got” TikTok memes.
As for styling, the red carpet is not a masquerade festival. If someone is influential enough to score an invitation to Ghana’s premier music night, they should also prioritise a stylist who understands the gravity and optics of the occasion.
Now let’s look across the border to Nigeria. At every major event, Nigerian celebrities consistently deliver striking red carpet moments, blending fashion-forward choices with cultural identity. They’ve proven that style and substance can go hand-in-hand, and it’s time Ghana rose to that challenge.
We’ve seen what Ghanaian designers can do, just recall the stunning outfit our president wore at his inauguration. The talent is here. So why are we still settling for mediocrity on such global stages?
The TGMA red carpet should be a platform to celebrate Ghanaian fashion excellence just as much as it celebrates music. It’s time for our industry to rethink how we approach appearances. With the right effort, planning, and professional touch, we can turn our red carpet from forgettable to phenomenal.
Story by: Anita Azawodie | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by: Kelvin B. Annor-Yeboah
