Nigerian singer and songwriter Ric Hassani has offered a candid take on a topic that often stirs conversation in the music industry: why some artists start in gospel music but eventually veer into secular sounds.
In a recent interview with HipTV, Hassani emphasized that gospel music is more than just singing — it’s a spiritual calling. According to him, interpreting divine messages through music requires a unique blessing, one not every artist possesses.
“Gospel is beyond singing. You have to be blessed to be able to interpret God’s words through music,” he said. “For example, there is no way Katy Perry would communicate God’s words through music the way CeCe Winans does.”
He cited gospel legend CeCe Winans and the late Whitney Houston as examples of artists with distinct spiritual gifts, arguing that while both women were powerhouses vocally, their abilities to channel divine inspiration through their music were fundamentally different.
“I feel like CeCe is blessed with being able to communicate the Holy Spirit through music,” he continued. “Whitney Houston is blessed differently. So, I don’t feel this idea of everybody must be in church. Some of us were made for the world.”
Despite identifying as a devout Christian and including at least one gospel song in every album he’s released, Hassani believes his path doesn’t lie in becoming a traditional gospel artist.
“I’m a very strong Christian,” he said. “But that’s not my calling. I’m meant to impact the world in a different way, with a different kind of music.”
He also acknowledged that diving fully into gospel might not resonate with his audience — or even with his creative instincts.
“If I do gospel songs now, it might not get traction. It’s not my thing. I’m not going to do it the way Frank Edwards or Mercy Chinwo is going to do it.”
Addressing the often-discussed trend of gospel artists transitioning to secular music, Hassani dismissed the idea that money is the main motivator.
“People leaving gospel music for secular music is not about money,” he said. “The kind of satisfaction that comes from being able to think of an idea of a tune and put it on the record and create music is beyond money. It’s bigger than any satisfaction money can give you.”
