Ghanaian media personality and singer, Afua Asantewaa, has been disqualified by Guinness World Records in her second attempt to break the world record for the longest individual singing marathon.
In a post on Thursday, 8 May 2025, Asantewaa shared the official rejection notice from Guinness, which cited a violation of rest break rules as the reason her attempt could not be validated.
According to the organisation, Asantewaa exceeded the permitted rest periods at key intervals during the challenge. Per the official guidelines, participants are allowed five minutes of rest for every completed hour of continuous activity. However, the record managers noted that at 23:25, Asantewaa took a 15-minute break despite having only five minutes accrued. Another violation occurred when she took 105 minutes of rest with only 10 minutes earned, effectively disqualifying the attempt.
“We can only approve a record when all of the rules have been followed. That is how we ensure fairness across all record attempts,” Guinness stated.
Asantewaa had previously attempted the feat in December 2023, aiming to surpass the standing record of 105 hours held by Indian singer Sunil Waghmare. Her latest effort was widely publicised and supported by a strong local and international following.
In a statement issued through Askof Productions Limited, Asantewaa described the journey as “challenging yet rewarding,” adding that the experience had been one of discovery, growth, and inspiration.
“I, on behalf of my dedicated team, would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who has supported, cheered, provided constructive criticism, been inspired, encouraged, and believed in my journey,” she wrote.
She went on to thank a wide network of supporters, including traditional leaders, corporate sponsors, the Ashanti Regional Police, the media, and fans across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the United States.
Despite the setback, Asantewaa expressed optimism about the future, promising to continue making “steady progress”.