Impact of gospel music: challenges and ambitions after the BIG 5

The fifth installment of the Build In Gospel (BIG) program took place on January 25, 2025, at the Heal The Land Family Resource Center in Douala. Over 60 Cameroonian gospel music artists gathered to discuss the future prospects of their discipline, and stressed the crucial importance of solidarity and cooperation for a wider reach of their musical work.

The Build In Gospel Act 5 event, moderated by Atome Blogueur, promoter of the BIG program, highlighted key issues relating to gospel music in Cameroon. Discussions lasted over five hours, covering a wide range of topics from the lack of communication to the need for stronger artistic direction.

Current challenges

Initial observations highlighted the structural inadequacies of the field and a panorama of gospel music in Cameroon heavily influenced by overly individual actions. We also noted the mediocre quality of productions, severely limited visibility and a large number of poorly utilized financial resources. Another observation is that strategic communication actions are limited and have less impact, hindering the emergence of new talent or the effective showcasing of existing projects. These factors, among many others, lead to a disappointing conclusion: "Gospel music in Cameroon has no impact, while the other side is rather well equipped."

A vision for 2025: unite for greater impact

A shared vision is the path to a thriving gospel scene. "We need to build jointly and look ahead to 2025." It is imperative that the BIG program moves towards initiative by establishing a genuine support program for the artists for whom they are the lungs of work. The conversation between the various players naturally led to the imperative of re-evaluating collective measures with the aim of supporting gospel artists. Thus, BIG must establish itself as a corporate entity to realize the vision, but also further federate gospel artists towards this ideal, and each of the artists employed in this sense should commit to working for the common good. In this effervescence, it is also a question of contributing to the implementation of more effective communication campaigns that attract the attention of the media and the public. In the exercise that poses and proposes launch dimensions, one option of the work demonstrated that an adequate sum, cited here as an example to the tune of 50 million, would be essential to generate impact production. By devoting dedicated resources to production, promotion and artist management, this will contribute fully to the growth of the gospel music field.

BIG Act 5 marked a crucial turning point for gospel music in Cameroon. It is now essential for those involved in the field to capitalize on these interactions in order to establish a new energy and build a solid, cohesive community. By collaborating on projects and unifying their efforts, gospel artists have the opportunity not only to improve the quality of their work, but also to strengthen their presence in society. In particular, this could help build souls for Christ, while paving the way for recognition both nationally and internationally. The importance of unity and cooperation, which was therefore a recurring element in the discussions, demonstrates that only a collective effort can enable gospel music to find its place.