The Guinness World Records announcement regarding the disqualification of Afua Asantewaa, a participant in the Ghanaian sing-a-thon, lacked specific details outlining the reasons behind her failure to set the record.
Upon scrutinizing the game’s rules and closely assessing Asantewaa’s performance, it becomes evident that certain identifiable mistakes may have contributed to the impediment of her record attempt.
Let’s take a look at some of these possible reasons below:
- Were the songs performed to a reasonable standard?
Per the rules, the songs sung throughout the attempt must be recognizable and performed to a reasonable standard.
While all the songs sung by Afua Asantewaa were popular Ghanaian songs, it remains unclear whether they were performed to a ‘reasonable standard.’ Glaring lapses and glitches were observed throughout her performance, particularly as the hours increased. At a point, she could be heard straining her voice when it faltered, similar to when fatigue set in.
2. According to the Guinness World Records, each piece of music is expected to be performed continuously for at least two minutes.
This rule in particular might have been broken as Afua Asantewaa, during her bid, was spotted with several long pauses to either exchange pleasantries with guests, respond to the ecstatic crowd, recall forgotten lyrics, or rest her voice.
In one of the instances, Afua Asantewaa, while performing Samini’s “Where My Baby Dey”, paused to complain to the DJ that she was worn out and sleepy.
In another instance, some guests including musicians like Shatta Wale, Samini, and others, entered her booth to interact with her while the songs were being played and the microphone captured in her hand.
3. During Afua’s performance, the repetition of songs within a short period was noted, a situation that raised concerns among individuals who were aware of the sing-a-thon rules at that time.
For instance, songs like Shatta Wale’s’s ‘Freedom’, Osibisa’s ‘Woyaya’, and several others kept running through the list of songs concurrently.
4. Improvisation or jamming is not allowed:
At a point during the contest, Afia Asantewaa was seen jamming with the teeming crowd.
The cheers and ‘sing-along vibes’ from the hundreds of energetic crowds might have penetrated the glass barrier into the booth where Afua Asantewaa stood, matching the enthusiasm of the audience.
Additionally, at a point, she was compelled to replace some original lyrics with either dancing, or miming to the beat, and in some cases, she fumbled.
The announcement of her disqualification has ignited conversation about her attempt. Meanwhile, Asantewaa has said that she would announce her “next line of action in a few days.”
