Celebrated Ghanaian gospel musician Esther Smith has opened up about what she describes as an excessive fee demanded by a well-known church for hosting her December concert.
In an interview with media personality Kobby Kyei, the singer disclosed that the unnamed church charged her team GH¢60,000 to use its auditorium for just one night. According to Esther, the amount was unreasonable, especially considering the short duration of the event.
She further explained that despite paying the substantial fee, the church’s seating capacity was insufficient for her audience. As a result, her team had to rent additional chairs to accommodate attendees.
“We paid GH¢60,000 for the auditorium, and even at that, we still had to provide extra chairs because the ones available were not enough. We only used the space for a few hours, so it felt extremely expensive,” she said during the interview.
The gospel star stressed that artists deserve fair compensation for their craft. She noted that if the same church were to invite her to minister under different circumstances, she would not hesitate to charge a comparable fee.
“If a pastor from that church invites me to perform, I will also charge accordingly. Musicians and ministers should not undervalue their work. When people call on you for your gift, you must know what you are worth,” she stated.
Esther also recounted a separate experience involving another church she had supported financially in the past. According to her, when she later approached the church to rent their auditorium for a concert, her request was declined because she was not a member.
She admitted that the rejection was painful, particularly because she had previously made donations to the church. The incident, she said, highlighted the contrast between her past generosity and the response she received when she needed support.
Her revelations have since sparked conversations online about the cost of renting church facilities, the business side of gospel music, and whether religious institutions should offer more flexibility to artists within the Christian community.
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