'Supernatural' gospel hit-track...influenced by Otabil, produced by ‘boyfriend’

It is common knowledge that the myriad of gospel music churned out on an hourly basis in Ghana nowadays leaves no good taste in anyone’s mouth. Many people have developed allergies for gospel music because it is almost seen as a useless venture. The industry is heavily besieged by lack of creativity, nauseating contents, illogical instrumentation, horrible and croaky tunes and poorly edited visuals.

It is becoming so irritating that most people quickly surf alternative channel or frequency when some gospel music are aired. Watch Supernatural by Celestine Donkor feat Ishmael

The sorry-case is that despite these indications, gospel music are produced and released without recourse to professionalism or even the so-called ‘calling of God’. We thank God for a few messiahs like Celestine Donkor; but for gospel music stars like her, hope in the industry would have faded into total oblivion.

Celestine Donkor, a married 26 year-old university student, shot out of the background into a celebrated gospel music artiste with her irresistible single track; ‘Supernatural’. Your authoritative and most influential Christian newspaper, Christian Diplomat caught up with the busy gospel star and in an exclusive interview, Celestine revealed that her current single track, which is gripping people with supernatural effects was produced by her ‘boyfriend’. ‘Boyfriend’ you exclaimed? There is no cause for an alarm yet, because Celestine’s story to glory is one that has many sides and shapes.

On the 1st of January, this year, Celestine was under the ministration of the highly revered man of God and founder of the International Central Gospel Church, ICGC, Pastor Mensa Otabil. In his message for the New Year, he prophetically declared 2009 as; ‘the year of Supernatural’. There and then, Celestine caught a new vision to sing a song that would connote ‘supernatural year’ for ICGC members.

Little did she know that God would extend that vision to the generality of His children regardless of their denominations and religious inclination. Celestine got to work almost immediately and before long, she released a single track christened; ‘Supernatural’.

Celestine Donkor, just like many other gospel music stars, has been singing since childhood. She sang mostly as a back-up vocalist in her adulthood. ‘I would say that out of all my music performances or ministrations, 80 percent was as a back-up vocalist. I have done this for so many known gospel artistes in Ghana and the list is virtually endless. I have also been featured as an artiste on many gospel-hit tracks.’ In her list, names like Rev. Prince Nyarko, Phillipa Baafi, Ampong, Cee, Isaac and many others surfaced.

Her peers in the industry always commended her for her sonorous voice and devotion to those she worked with. Sadly, no producer was ready to put himself or herself on the line to produce her songs for her. She approached several of them and was turned down many times. Then, her ‘boyfriend’ surfaced. First, let’s clear the air surrounding the mysterious ‘boyfriend’.

Emmanuel Donkor is the name. You can call him the ‘Don’, simply put. A young businessman who was based outside Ghana for a long time; that’s Celestine’s ‘Boyfriend’. With her face beaming, she recounted; ‘I love to call him my boyfriend, but he is my husband. He is everything to me. We have been married for many years now and we have a happy family together with our children. There is no one I could trust enough like him.

When the idea of producing my songs came up, I thought he was a little inexperienced in the field because he is a businessman and had not lived in Ghana for many years and so, may not understand the terrain of the Ghanaian gospel music industry. He proved me wrong! He pestered me for a long time about being my producer but I waved off the idea. At long last, I agreed and when he stepped in, he did it with vigour, passion and love and the result is simply “supernatural”. My boyfriend, through the grace of God, did the magic.’

‘Supernatural’ is a single-track release, not an album. The release contains a declaration with instrumentals and ‘move’, an additional spiced flavour. ‘Supernatural’ is already a household song loved by Christians and non-Christians alike. The video clip is superb and passes international standards. Little wonders there are clamours for the song to be exported to other parts of the world.

In her life lessons, Celestine shared that patience is a strong virtue every youth should possess. She inked her success to a patient wait on God for the right timing and encouraged youths to earn a profitable future by relying on God’s timely perfection for their lives. ‘All the while, I knew I could sing. I knew I was destined to be used tremendously by God not only as a back-up vocalist, but as an artiste with my own songs and albums, but I patiently waited for God’s perfect timing and it came. I have released an album and this time, I released a single hit-track.’

Her celebrated success was not without the usual strands of difficulties associated with the music industry in Ghana.  ‘At first, Disc Jockeys (DJs) were calling me to ask for the track. I gladly gave them to play on air. After a while, they started calling to demand for “payola” (illegal fees demanded by DJs, considered as payment for playing artistes music on air). I was so disappointed at their attitudes. I managed to get the track produced with a huge sum of money, I had to reproduce copies for sale, I had to pay other outstanding bills and there I was, confronted by payola. It has not been very rosy for me. I would like to appreciate radio pastors and some DJs who genuinely play the track without monetary strings attached.  May God bless the work of their hands. Payola is a dangerous cankerworm we have to fight with all seriousness.’

Celestine’s ‘supernatural’ hit-track is fast becoming a channel of supernatural blessings to people as they claim the declaration made in the song. She has also been a partaker of the blessing in the ‘supernatural’. ‘I had applied for university admission several times in the past but I failed to gain admission. This year, after the song was released, I confessed the declaration and to God be the glory, I got my university admission without having to sit for any extra examination or better my earlier grades. Supernatural miracles are real for everyone and there’s a portion waiting for you; claim it.’