Why Gospel Star Abandoned US Studio for Lagos Students

When gospel recording artist Frank Edwards took the stage at MUSON earlier in the month, everyone in the audience wondered what the Gospel music star was going to share. The artiste, dressed in a dark suit jacket, a shirt, and light-coloured trousers, revealed that he had recently recorded an entire orchestral album at the MUSON Recital Hall using students from the school. The talent exhibited by the student was so unprecedented that he abandoned plans to complete the project in the United States.

“The last time I was recording an orchestral album with John Norman, I considered whether to return to America to finish it,” he told the audience at the Shell Hall, MUSON Centre, Lagos. “I spoke to Sir Emeka [Acting Director of the MUSON School of Music], and he said, ‘My students can do it.’ We recorded that entire album right here at the MUSON Recital Hall, and it is one of my best albums so far.”

Edwards didn’t only speak; he presented individualised awards to students. During the presentation of the Dr. Frank Edwards Award for Best String Player, at the MTN-MUSON Scholars Graduation, the singer announced a significant expansion of the awards bearing his name beginning in 2027. Under the upgraded structure, winners of the Frank Edwards Award and the Rocktown Records Award will receive a whopping ₦1 million in cash, professional instruments including a brand-new violin for the strings category, and funded studio recording time at Rocktown rehearsal studios. “We are raising giants,” he said. “This award goes beyond here. It will open doors for you everywhere you go.”

The singer, who just celebrated his birthday, released the official music video for his latest hit – Elevate – to critical praise.