It’s been eight months since her controversial Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) win and Montess is finally speaking out on how she truly felt about singer and producer, Salatiel’s social media comment and more.
ALSO READ: Did Montess deserve her 2017 AFRIMA win?
Montess took home 2017 AFRIMA “Best Female Central Africa” award back in November and in her recent interview with ‘Tori Dey,’ she revealed she was hugely disappointed with the way the people she called mentors and friends embraced her win.
“When I won AFRIMA that night, the first post I saw that same night was Agbor Gilbert’s post saying ‘best female artist Central Africa?’ I saw it and I was like whatever… When I slept and woke up the next day, I saw other people’s post including Salatiel,” the singer explained on Tori Dey.
“I felt a little disappointed with Salatiel in particular because he is someone we talk on a daily basis concerning music and we had plans of working together and to see somebody whom you felt believed in your talent say such a thing is already an X for me to know that he doesn’t believe in me.
“If I am planning to work with you and you see me making progress and the same you question my progress it means you don’t believe in me. So I don’t see any reason why I should work with you any more. To be honest, I was hurt but sometimes, those things that make you feel bad only make you stronger,” she added.
ALSO READ: Montess finally addresses AFRIMA 2017 controversy, “keep your opinion to yourself”
Montess says she saw her victory as progress and a stepping stone for her to do more with her music in the future but was truly surprised with the negativity it brought along and even revealed to the media outlet that an artist got into a fight with one of her fans in Buea for defending her win.
“I actually know artists who fought in Buea because of that award. I got so emotional because its like they could even kill me because I won AFRIMA? Really guys!? It’s just a golden metal. Yes, its worth money though but you don’t have to fight… Going to the extent of holding a fan on the street just because the fan is trying to defend Montess and you as an artist you start fighting. Unfortunately, the fan beat the dude up so I was like ‘you deserve what you got,'” she said.
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However, the singer said she didn’t mourn the hate because most artists do not even know how things work with award shows like AFRIMA. She even added that Salatiel should have done his research before making ‘false’ statements about the AFRIMA nominating her songs twice.
“You don’t even know AFRIMA criterias. have you read it? Do you even know when I released the song? If you do not know about an organization try to research so when you are talking, you have facts. Michael Jackson is dead but his songs are still being nominated and he is still winning awards. So what are you telling me about Montess’ songs being nominated the second time?
“Cameroonians coming at me made me felt like, these guys are just being stupid because it could go to another country. Some other person could win it. But I thank God I won,” she said.
Watch full interview below:
