Nairobi News

Gospel sensation Mercy Masika has opened up about her rollercoaster journey in the music industry, shedding light on the financial challenges she faced early on. 

Contrary to popular belief, Mercy Masika shared that the gospel industry has grown tremendously, and she now enjoys a comfortable income, dispelling misconceptions about the financial viability of gospel music.

The talented artiste confessed that when she initially embarked on her music career, she encountered severe financial hurdles. The lack of financial support from the industry left her disheartened and at times contemplating quitting the public music scene altogether. She reflected, “There are times I would go 5 years without a song. Why? Because I’m feeling let me just serve in Church. Let me sing in the worship team; that’s enough. Who said I should record?”

At one point, Mercy even pondered if God had called her to the ministry and considered shifting her focus entirely to church-related activities. However, she remained resilient and committed to her calling.

When asked if gospel music pays, Mercy Masika responded with conviction, “Oh, it does. I’ve got good money. And I get good money every month.” She revealed that, apart from revenue sources like Skiza, she is one of the best-paid gospel artists. While acknowledging that the industry landscape was different in the past, with musicians often paid as little as sh1,000, she emphasized that things have changed, and gospel artists are now earning substantial incomes.

Mercy Masika emphasized the importance of persistence, and sharing, “At the beginning, it was hard, but God has a way of encouraging you, especially if you are within his will to keep going.” She believes that God provides encouragement even when artists face financial challenges.

Addressing a critical issue, the Mwema hitmaker expressed her passion for fashion, disclosing her role as a clothes designer. She voiced her concern about the indecent dressing choices of some contemporary artists and advocated for modesty in fashion. 

Mercy Masika encouraged artists to be fashionable while remaining decent, asserting, “You don’t have to show skin in this new fashion nowadays.” She even playfully mentioned that she should release a song titled “Vaeni nguo” (Put on Clothes), humorously adding, “Vaeni nguo wacheni kuonyesha tumbo, there is nakedness in the culture, but you can be decent, and I think we should carry ourselves as Queens. How you dress is how you are going to be addressed.”

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