“Sometimes the process of spending literally thousands of dollars on the privilege of flying, attending, marketing and getting sucked into the machine, hugely anxious about outfits and red carpets, starting to hope to win and then not winning (again and again!) can take a toll. There is always a bigger mainstream artist dropping into our global categories who has MORE money to spend on marketing; there is always an artist who chooses to spend months networking, attending nominee events and ensuring their music and name lands in front of voters. I don’t say this from bitterness, but just to acknowledge what the behind-the-scenes reality can be. If tonight, I happen to win for the first time, of course, it will be a joyful experience, but I truly, truly believe it doesn’t matter in a deeper context."

Source: Ethiopian News February 02, 2026 08:14 UTC