‘Getty & Friends’ is back!

IN the 1990s, when Gertrude Oduro popularly known as Getty of ‘Getty & Friends’ fame was in her defining period as a Gospel songstress, she was the buzz of the industry.

Her exquisite voice and charming stage presence gave her the flair to touch the souls of many whenever she mounted any stage to perform and eventually became the toast of Gospel music lovers.

With songs such as Anigye Kese, Gyae Su and Cambolia (Mogya Krokron), which were popular with the audience at the time, she established a name for herself and rubbed shoulders with the likes of Rev. Mc Abraham, Ama Boahemaa, Comfort Annor, Esther Smith, Tagoe Sisters among others.

But just as fans were starting to welcome Getty in all of her grandeur in the early 2000s, she abruptly disappeared from the music scene, leaving them in a sea of disappointment.

The wait is over

Well, there finally seems to be a glimmer of hope for fans who have been patiently waiting for her.

Getty is returning to the music industry after a 22-year hiatus following her exploits in the pastoral ministry and her time away from music to give her family unwavering commitment.

To make her comeback even more exciting, she has released a sprit-filled song When the Spirit Moves as a gift to her fans and the music industry, and she is currently working on releasing more upbeat songs.

In a recent interview with Daily Graphic, the songstress revealed that even though she had left the scene abruptly to concentrate on other areas of her life that needed equal attention at the time, she never wavered from her calling as a Gospel musician and kept her expectations high that she would return to the music scene which she described as her ‘first love’.

“Yes, I have been away from doing music for the past 20 years and I believe my presence has been missed. It was never an intentional decision. Other areas of my life needed commitment. I had a family to take care of and I equally had God’s work to fully commit to. So, I took that decision to go on break to commit to these areas.

“One thing I know for sure is that music is my first love and I knew a day would come when I would definitely come back to it and do it to the glory of God. It has been a long while but it is a promise to my fans, I am back for good and this time around, they should expect nothing but the very best,” she said.

Relevance in contemporary times

When asked if she would still be relevant in the modern era, where social media and new technologies had replaced the good old' days, she emphasised that she believed in change, versatility, and meeting up with modern times, and it would not be difficult for her to meet demands this time around.

She mentioned that despite being gone for a good number of years, she was still able to keep up with the evolving trends in the music industry, and she was optimistic that with an improved version of herself and her art, she would carve out a niche for herself in the music space.

“I admit this is a generation that has its own style and clique of musicians and is probably not familiar with me. But I have also studied the trend of this generation and what they are drawn to especially how they are so much into social media and the streaming platforms. It will be a great idea to tap into these platforms and get closer to them with powerful songs that will draw them closer to God.”

“I am also looking at reaching a global audience through my song ministration. Thanks to technology, one does not necessarily have to be in another setting to spread the word of God. You just have to make use of the available technology and you are sure to get your message across to a wider audience,” she stated.

She added that the purpose of her comeback to the music industry is not to make financial gains but to create powerful songs that can lead people to Christ.

“I am not coming back because I need to make financial gains. It is the passion to help spread the word of God through song ministration and I hope to do that faithfully to the glory of God,” she said. 

Who is Getty & Friends?

Getty & Friends is a Gospel music group comprising lead singer Gertrude Oduro, her vocalists and instrumentalists who blessed the music industry in the 90s with great songs including Cambolia, Di M’asem, Mema Wo Din So, Anigyesem, Aman Nyinaa, Agyenkwa Yesu Do Me, Look and Live among others.

The band disbanded when Getty moved with her family to the USA and began exploring a career in pastoral ministry.

With her distinctive style of ministry and her exceptional musical talent, Getty, who is now a minister of the gospel, hopes to bring the group back to life.

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