Yaw Stone, winner of TV3 Mentor VI, has opened up in a recent radio interview, and what he shared has left many people thinking twice about how the TV3 Mentor reality show really works behind the scenes.
There’s a conversation building in Ghana’s music space right now, and it’s coming straight from someone who has lived the experience.
According to Yaw Stone, everything looked perfect on paper when he won. Like every winner of TV3 Mentor, he was promised a full package cash prize, a car, and most importantly, a recording deal to launch his music career properly. And to be fair, he confirmed that he did receive the cash and the car. But the real issue? The record deal. That part, according to him, never really happened the way it was promised.
In the interview, Yaw Stone didn’t hold back. He explained that after the show, he was assigned to work with popular Ghanaian producer Appietus, who was supposed to handle his recording deal and help him build his music career. But from the beginning, things were not smooth.
He said anytime he tried to follow up, there was always one excuse or another. Sometimes he would be told that he Appietus the producer was busy working on other major projects and at one point even being told he was recording an Album for highlife legend Daddy Lumba and should check back after two months.
Two months later, he would call again… and still, another story. This went on for a while.
At the end of the day, instead of the full album or structured project he expected, Yaw Stone revealed that only one song was recorded for him throughout a year. And even that one song, according to him, was not mixed or completed to standard.
For an artist who had just won one of Ghana’s biggest music reality shows in Ghana, you can imagine the frustration.
Because truth be told, for most young talents who enter TV3 Mentor, the real dream is not just the spotlight or the fame. It’s the record deal, the opportunity to actually record, release, and promote music professionally. That is the foundation.
Yaw Stone made it clear that this experience left him disappointed. But more than that, it pushed him to take matters into his own hands. Instead of waiting endlessly, he decided to learn music production himself, picking up instruments and teaching himself how to record.
That’s how he started creating his own music independently. But his frustration didn’t end there.
He also revealed that he reported the situation to the TV3 Mentor team hoping they would step in and address the issue. According to him, nothing was done. No intervention. No follow-up, and that’s where the bigger concern is coming from.
Because if the platform that promises these opportunities doesn’t ensure they are delivered, then what exactly happens after the show?
Right now, Yaw Stone is signed to LB Entertainment, trying to rebuild and move forward with his career. But his story has opened up a conversation many people have been quietly asking for years.
Where are the past TV3 Mentor winners?
It’s a question that keeps coming up. Every season, new talents rise, the show trends, people vote, someone wins but after some time, many of these artists seem to disappear from the mainstream conversation.
Is it lack of support? Poor management? Or something deeper? From what we are seeing now, Yaw Stone may not be the only one who has gone through this kind of situation.
And that is why some industry watchers are beginning to use strong words, even calling it a possible “scam-like system” if the most important part of the reward, the record deal, is not properly delivered.
Because let’s be honest. For any upcoming artist, especially in Ghana, the hardest part is not talent but it’s structure and opportunity. A proper recording deal can change everything. It gives direction, funding, production quality, and industry backing.
Take that away, and you leave the artist to struggle on their own. This is why many are now calling for more transparency.
Some are suggesting that there should be a clear, legally binding contract for all contestants before they even enter the competition. A contract that clearly states what each position winner, first runner-up, second runner-up etc.. will receive, and how it will be delivered.
Not just promises on stage. Real agreements. Because at the end of the day, these are people’s dreams on the line.
The TV3 Mentor brand has done a lot for Ghana’s entertainment industry over the years and no doubt about that. It has discovered talents, created stars, and given many young people a platform. But stories like this? They can affect trust.
And once trust is broken, it’s hard to rebuild. For now, Yaw Stone has spoken his truth. Whether the organizers respond or not, the conversation has already started.
And maybe, just maybe, this is the moment the industry needs to take a closer look and fix what has been quietly going wrong for years.
Mention any mentor artist you know has gone through such situation in the comment section, lets tell our story for a better Ghana.
Watch full interview below: