The inaugural Trace Awards in Africa has revealed its nominees, showcasing a diverse array of talent from the African music scene.
Set to take place in Kigali, Rwanda on October 1, the event aims to celebrate and honour the creative contributions of African and Afro-inspired musicians.
South African musicians have garnered multiple nominations, with K.O, Kabza da Small, Pabi Cooper, DJ Maphorisa, Robot Boii and Musa Keys among those recognised.
K.O stands out with three nominations, including Best Male, Song of the Year and Best Collaboration. Musa Keys has secured two nominations for Best Live and Best Collaboration.
Blxckie is nominated for Best Music Video while Pabi Cooper is acknowledged for Best Newcomer.
Uncle Waffles is nominated in the Best DJ category. Additionally, the legendary Bishop Benjamin Dube has received a nomination in the gospel category while DJ Maphorisa and Kabza da Small compete for the Best Producer title.
West African artists including Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, Davido, WizKid, Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, Fireboy DML and Rema have collectively received more than 40 nominations.
From Afrobeat to dancehall, hip hop to Afro pop and an array of other genres like mbalax, amapiano, zouk, kizomba, genge, coupé décalé, bongo flava, soukous, gospel, rap, rai, kompa, R&B and rumba, the event will highlight the diversity and excellence of Afrocentric music.
The competition spans 22 award categories, featuring platinum-selling artists hailing from more than 30 countries across Africa, South America, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and Europe.
Olivier Laouchez, the chairperson and co-founder of Trace, emphasises the exceptional creativity and dynamism of the artists and their significance as a cultural force.
“African and African diaspora artists are extraordinarily creative and dynamic. They represent a massive cultural force and deserve more global recognition and celebration,” said Laouchez in a press statement shared with Independent Media.
“The Trace Awards nominations salute achievement and excellence from more than 150 performers, producers, DJs, writers, composers, directors, established artists and rising stars, and their management and labels.
“We congratulate all the nominees, most of whom will attend and perform in Kigali on 21 October. It will be an unmissable experience for lovers of African and Afro-inspired music.”
The event promises to be a showcase of excellence, creativity, and innovation across the spectrum of Afro-centric music.
The nominees:
BEST MALE
Asake (Nigeria)
Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Davido (Nigeria)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Didi B (Ivory Coast)
K.O (South Africa)
Rema (Nigeria)
BEST FEMALE
Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
Josey (Ivory Coast)
Nadia Mukami (Kenya)
Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)
Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)
Viviane Chidid (Senegal)
SONG OF THE YEAR
“BKBN” – Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)
“People” – Libianca (Cameroon)
“Suavemente” – Soolking (France)
“Encre” – Emma’a (Gabon)
“Sugarcane” – Camidoh (Ghana)
“Last Last” – Burna Boy (Nigeria)
“Rush” – Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
“Calm Down” – Rema (Nigeria)
“Peru” – Fireboy DML (Nigeria) with Ed Sheeran (UK)
“Sete” – K.O (South Africa)
“Cough” – Kizz Daniel (Nigeria)
“MORTEL 06” – Innoss’B (Ivory Coast)
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
“2 Sugar” – Wizkid (Nigeria) feat. Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
“Baddie” – Yemi Alade (Nigeria)
“Kpaflotage” – Suspect 95 (Ivory Coast)
“Loaded” – Tiwa Savage(Nigeria) & Asake (Nigeria)
“Ronda” – Blxckie (South Africa)
“Tombolo” – Kalash (Martinique)
Yatapita” – Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
BEST NEWCOMER
Azawi (Uganda)
Krys M (Cameroon)
Libianca (Cameroon)
Nissi (Nigeria)
Odumodublvck (Nigeria)
Pabi Cooper (South Africa)
Roselyne Layo (Ivory Coast)
BEST COLLABORATION
“Many Ways” – BNXN (Nigeria) with Wizkid (Nigeria)
“Mine” – Show Dem Camp (Nigeria) with Oxlade (Nigeria)
“Peru” – Fireboy DML (Nigeria) with Ed Sheeran (UK)
“Second Sermon” – Black Sherif (Ghana) with Burna Boy (Nigeria)
“Sete” – K.O (South Africa) with Young Stunna (South Africa), Blxckie (South Africa)
“Stamina” – Tiwa Savage with Ayra Starr (Nigeria) & Young Jonn (Nigeria)
“Trumpet” – Olamide (Nigeria) with Ckay (Nigeria)
“Unavailable” - Davido (Nigeria) with Musa Keys (South Africa)
BEST DJ
Danni Gato (Cape Verde)
DJ BDK (Ivory Coast)
DJ Illans (France)
DJ Spinall (Nigeria)
Michael Brun (Haiti)
Uncle Waffles (Swaziland)
BEST PRODUCER
DJ Maphorisa (South Africa)
Juls (Ghana)
Kabza de Small (South Africa)
Kel-P (Nigeria)
Tamsir (Ivory Coast)
BEST GOSPEL ARTISTS
Benjamin Dube (South Africa)
Janet Otieno (Kenya)
KS Bloom (Ivory Coast)
Levixone (Uganda)
Moses Bliss (Nigeria)
BEST LIVE
Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Fally Ipupa (DRC)
Musa Keys (South Africa)
The Compozers (Nigeria)
Wizkid (Nigeria)
Yemi Alade (Nigeria)
BEST DANCER
Robot Boii (South Africa)
Tayc (France)
Uganda Ghetto Kids (Uganda)
Yemi Alade (Nigeria)
Zuchu (Tanzania)
BEST ARTIST AFRICA – ANGOLPHONE
Asake (Nigeria)
Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
Black Sherif (Ghana)
Davido (Nigeria)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Fireboy DML (Nigeria)
BEST ARTIST AFRICA – FRANCOPHONE
Didi B (Ivory Coast)
Emma’a (Gabon)
Fally Ipupa (DRC)
KO-C (Cameroon)
Locko (Cameroon)
Serge Beynaud (Ivory Coast)
Viviane Chidid (Senegal)
BEST ARTIST AFRICA – LUSOPHONE
Gerilson Insrael (Angola)
Lisandro Cuxi (Cape Verde)
Perola (Angola)
Plutonio (Mozambique)
Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)
BEST ARTIST – NORTH AFRICA
Amira Zouhair (Morocco)
Artmasta (Tunisia
Dystinct (Morocco
El Grande Toto (Morocco)
Kader Japonais (Algeria)
Raja Meziane (Algeria)
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
“DNK” – Aya Nakamura (France)
“Love Damini” – Burna Boy (Nigeria)
“Maverick” – Kizz Daniel (Nigeria)
“More Love, Less Ego” – Wizkid (Nigeria)
“Timeless” – Davido (Nigeria)
“Work of Art” – Asake (Nigeria)
Visit https://trace.plus/awards to vote.