Raquel: Fame is not great
When you wonder what it's like to be famous, you likely envision a life filled with glitz, glamour and enough money to get yourself out of anything life throws at you.
Well, the glamour and attention seems very alluring but the life of a celebrity is definitely not as flamboyant and pleasant as many envisage. For instance, they have little to no privacy and they are not allowed to live life the way they want it.
Sultry singer, Raquel has had the taste of the celebrity life but for her, being a star isn’t all that pleasing. Speaking to Showbiz last Tuesday, the Odo artiste said the glamour and attention seem very exciting and can easily lead to envy but it isn’t all about a colourful celebrity lifestyle.
“It is never pleasant to know that everyone thinks they have a say in your life without regard for your privacy. It is disheartening when people think it is their right to tell you what to do and what not to do.
“Truthfully, I don’t know what is so pleasant about people passing judgment about you even when they hardly know you in person just because you are in the public eye. Unfortunately, this is what you have to endure immediately you become a star, which is so unfair,” she said.
Nearly every public figure faces criticism whether fair or not but it appears female stars bear the brunt of it and the Lovi Dovi singer admitted that such criticism may affect some of her colleagues but she has learnt to turn such “negative vibes into positive energy”.
“We are different and so how I will handle criticisms will be different from another person. I love to look at the brighter side of every issue and I use fame as an empowerment tool to drive my ambitions.
“If thousands of people can talk about what I do in my life, then I should take advantage of that to drive a positive agenda and that is what I have done these years, to use my music to spread the message of love in my songs ,” she said.
Since coming into the limelight with Sweetio featuring Sarkodie in 2010, Raquel has worked hard to stay relevant in the largely male dominated industry. However, in the last two to three years, the singer hasn’t been too active. When Showbiz asked if competition is taking her out of race, this is what she had to say.
“I think there is room for everyone to shine so there’s no need to compete with one another. My works may not be public now but I have been working behind the scenes to become a better artiste.
“For instance, I have been taking lessons in voice coaching and stage crafting for more than seven months now and it is all to help me be a better artiste and my fans can testify when I drop my new album soon,” she said.
Born Raquel Naa Ayorkor Ammah, the artiste, who has shared the stage with a number of international acts including Mario, Movado, Young, Lloyd, Kas and Cabbo Snoop of Angola, is credited for songs such as I Slay, Set Me Free, That’s Okay and Touch.