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For Ghanaian artistes hoping to turn international recognition into a lasting career, one overseas show is never enough. According to Rodney Kofi Kyei, the real game is consistency, audience building and the willingness to keep showing up, even when the bills start looking like a small mortgage.
Speaking on Primetime with George and Mercury Quaye on August 26, 2026, the CEO explained that taking an artiste abroad involves far more than buying a plane ticket and hoping for a packed venue.
“It’s not easy; it’s also the promotion and working to get the best show possible,” he said.
According to Kyei, artistes often travel with members of their teams and sometimes invite fellow performers to join them. Production, marketing, logistics and the overall quality of the show all come with their own price tags.
He also noted that while artistes may receive support from individuals and businesses, promoters and event organisers must still consider whether the numbers make sense for their own operations.
For established Ghanaian stars such as KiDi, King Promise, Sarkodie and Stonebwoy, however, Kyei believes the investment is worth it.
“When you’re an artiste like KiDi, King Promise, Sarkodie or Stonebwoy, it’s important to touch your fans, because those are your advocates,” he explained.
And that is where the real business begins. A fan who watches an artiste perform live is more likely to recommend that artiste to friends, share the music and become part of the artist’s wider promotional machine.
Kyei believes Ghanaian artistes should also approach international expansion in stages rather than trying to conquer the entire world in one weekend.
He described the journey as moving through different circles of audiences. The first is the local market, followed by neighbouring countries such as Nigeria, The Gambia and Sierra Leone. From there, artistes can expand across Africa before turning their attention to the diaspora.
For Kyei, the Ghanaian diaspora is particularly important because it provides a natural bridge into new markets.
“These are the people that are proud to be Ghanaians, proud to be a fan of you,” he said, explaining that diaspora audiences often have friends from different nationalities and cultures.
That makes word of mouth one of the most powerful tools an artiste can have.
A Ghanaian fan in London may arrive at a concert with three friends who have never heard the artiste before. Those three people could then become fans themselves. Suddenly, one ticket has potentially created three new customers.
Kyei therefore believes international concerts should not be treated as isolated events. They should form part of a deliberate, long-term touring strategy.
“It’s not about just doing one show; it’s about touring consistently and building, going to bigger venues every time,” he said.
He pointed to Sarkodie as an example of how that strategy can work.
Sarkodie performed his Rapperholic UK concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall on March 6, 2026, in a sold-out show before announcing the next edition for The O2 Arena on March 6, 2027.
For Kyei, the progression matters. An artiste performs at one venue, creates excitement around the show, converts that attention into new fans and then uses the momentum to move into another venue.
He also cited Nigerian superstar Burna Boy as an example of how international success is built brick by brick.
According to Kyei, Burna Boy’s international journey included performing at London’s Hammersmith Apollo, which has a capacity of roughly 4,500 to 5,000 people, before progressing through other major venues and eventually reaching stadium-level performances.
The lesson is simple: you do not wake up one morning and magically find yourself performing to tens of thousands of people. The road to the stadium usually passes through several smaller rooms first.
Ghanaian acts are already continuing that journey. Kyei highlighted upcoming London performances by R2Bees and KiDi, with R2Bees scheduled to perform at O2 Indigo on September 11 and KiDi set to take the same stage on September 18.
He believes such performances can become stepping stones to even larger opportunities.
But touring alone is not the entire formula. Kyei also stressed the importance of consistently releasing new music and using each project to attract fresh listeners.
“Younger artistes go in a cycle; usually by the time they get a new audience, they drop another album. That album will bring them even more fans,” he said.
It is essentially a musical version of keeping the shop open. New songs bring people through the door, live shows turn listeners into fans and consistent touring keeps those fans engaged.
For Ghanaian artistes dreaming of global dominance, Kyei’s message is therefore clear. International touring may be expensive, exhausting and occasionally financially terrifying, but it is also one of the most effective ways to build a genuine global fanbase.
The goal is not simply to travel abroad, perform once, collect applause and fly home.
The goal is to return, perform again, grow the audience, upgrade the venue and keep going until the crowd becomes too big for the room.
That is how international careers are built, one show at a time.
