Gospel artist Empress Gifty has addressed comments comparing her vocal style to that of highlife singer Kuami Eugene on her latest single, “Watch Me.” Rather than being concerned by these remarks, Empress has clarified that the resemblance was intentional.
In a conversation with Akorfa on Joy FM’s ‘Ignition,’ Empress explained her approach to the song, noting that the similarity to Eugene’s voice was a deliberate decision. “Kuami Eugene did not sing anything in that song. It’s because I recorded in Kuami Eugene’s studio and Kuami Eugene had everything, he had already composed everything,” she said. Empress explained that Eugene’s setup and his established “template” inspired her to take a different vocal approach.
“I said I didn’t want to sound like Empress. I wanted something different. So I did the backing, I did everything,” she continued, underlining her desire to bring a fresh sound to the track.
Empress went on to highlight Eugene’s role in guiding the recording process, saying she willingly followed his direction. “He carries something, and if you want to tap into somebody’s blessing you need to humble yourself,” she remarked to aKorfa.
When questioned about whether adopting Eugene’s style affected her identity as an artist, Empress confidently dismissed this concern. “Nothing! I am here. That is ‘Watch Me’. I am here talking about ‘Watch Me’ so it doesn’t take anything away,” she declared, adding that her collaboration with Eugene was a conscious artistic choice. “The most important thing is that Kuami wrote the song and I delivered,” she emphasized.
“Watch Me,” a gospel track with highlife influences, is centered on the message of God’s power to bring positive change in challenging situations. Kuami Eugene wrote, arranged, and produced the song, merging his creative direction with Empress’s vocals to introduce a new twist in gospel music.
