Ghanaian gospel musician Joe Mettle has revealed plans to pull out from future nominations for the Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMAs).

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His decision stems from the demands of the awards process, which he believes sometimes an artist may not be ready for due to other equally important engagements.

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“I think I do [have intentions to retire from the awards]. There are things the awards require that sometimes you’re not able to do. Because once you’re nominated, you need to push it, and sometimes a lot is going on. Sometimes it gets to a point where so much is happening around you that you can’t fully commit to the requirements,” he stated.

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Joe Mettle added that thoughts of stepping back from the award scheme have been lingering for the past 3-4 years. However, he clarified that his decision is not coming from a place of pride or arrogance, as many would assume.

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"For the past three or four years, I’ve wanted to take a step back from the awards. And it’s not because I think I’ve outgrown them, no, it’s not that,” he said.

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He continued that, on most occasions, artists who don’t actively promote their nominations are not arrogant; that is often a misunderstanding.

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In the media, they might think you’re acting ‘big,’ but it’s not the case. Most of those are assumptions,” he explained.

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The “Onwanwani” singer further shared that an artist’s career goes through different seasons, and there are times when one's focus naturally shifts, making full participation in award-related activities challenging.

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“There are seasons. A time comes when you realize you can’t commit to the awards like you used to. But it’s not because you’ve outgrown them,” he added.

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Despite his reflections on stepping back, Joe Mettle had a successful night at the 2025 TGMAs, taking home two awards: Best Gospel Artiste of the Year and Best Male Vocal Performance for his song “Obo Awan Oba.”

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He was unable to show up for his two awards due to issues he encountered with his ticketing.Upon his arrival at the event's grounds, he was prevented entry as organisers cited that his ticket had already been used; however, after attempts to resolve it, the event staff confirmed it was a network error, hence granting him entry.

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https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OA3XDVwr6Zo

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