Trace Africa, the premier music channel in Africa, has unveiled nominees for the inaugural Trace Awards. The event is scheduled to take place at Kigali’s BK Arena on October 21, 2023.
KAMPALA, UGANDA | NOW THEN DIGITAL — Trace Africa, the leading music channel in Africa, has unveiled the nominees for the inaugural Trace Awards, scheduled to take place at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, on October 21, 2023.
This live event and global TV spectacle will honor the creativity, talent, and impact of African and Afro-inspired music and culture, reaching an audience of 500 million viewers across 190 countries.
The awards will recognize a range of genres including Afrobeats, dancehall, hip hop, mbalax, amapiano, zouk, kizomba, genge, coupé décalé, bongo flava, soukous, gospel, rap, rai, kompa, R&B, and rumba.
Olivier Laouchez, Trace chairman and co-founder, highlights the significance of the nominations, praising over 150 contributors, including performers, producers, DJs, writers, composers, directors, established artists, rising stars, and their management and labels.
Laouchez extends congratulations to all nominees, many of whom are expected to attend and perform in Kigali on October 21, promising an exceptional experience for fans of African and Afro-inspired music.
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“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.”, Olivier Laouchez said.
The competition will encompass 22 award categories, featuring platinum-selling artists from over 30 countries spanning Africa, South America, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, and Europe. The distinguished winners’ trophy was designed by acclaimed Congolese sculptor and designer Dora Prevost.
Leading the nominations for the Trace Awards 2023 are West African artists, particularly Nigerian musicians, who showcase the global resonance of Afrobeats, gathering more than 40 nominations collectively.
This includes multiple recognitions for artists like Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, Davido, WizKid, Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, Fireboy DML, and Rema.
Female artists also receive commendation across several categories, with Cape Verde’s Soraia Ramos competing against Ivory Coast’s Josey, Senegal’s Viviane Chidid, Kenya’s Nadia Mukami, and the dual Nigerian contenders Tiwa Savage and Arya Starr in the Best Female Artist category.
In addition to musicians based in Africa, exceptional nominees from the diverse music of the African diasporas represent France, Brazil, the UK, the Caribbean, and the Indian Ocean, featuring artists such as Stormzy (UK), Aya Nakamura (France), Leo Santana (Brazil), and Shenseea (Jamaica), among others.
The comprehensive list of Trace Awards 2023 nominees is provided below:
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)
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 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)
Best Music Video
- 2 Sugar – Wizkid (Nigeria) ft. 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 (Sponsored by Maison Martell)
- Azawi (Uganda)
- Krys M (Cameroon)
- Libianca (Cameroon)
- Nissi (Nigeria)
- Odumodublvck (Nigeria)
- Pabi Cooper (South Africa)
- Roselyne Layo (Ivory Coast)
Best Collaboration (Sponsored by Maison Martell)
- 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 Artist
- 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 – Anglophone
- 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 – Rwanda
- Ariel Wayz (Rwanda)
- Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)
- Bwiza (Rwanda)
- Chriss Eazy (Rwanda)
- Kenny Sol (Rwanda)
Best Artist – France & Belgium
- Aya Nakamura (France)
- Booba (France)
- Nihno (France)
- Ronisia (France)
- Soolking (France)
- Tayc (France)
Best Artist – UK
- Central Cee (UK)
- Headie One (UK)
- Ms Banks (UK)
- Raye (UK)
- Stormzy (UK)
Best Artist – The Caribbean
- Admiral T (Guadeloupe)
- Bamby (French Guiana)
- Kalash (Martinique)
- Maureen (Martinique)
- Popcaan (Jamaica)
- Princess Lover (Martinique)
- Rutshelle Guillaume (Haiti)
- Shenseea (Jamaica)
Best Artist – Indian Ocean
- Donovan BTS (Mauritius)
- GaEi (Madagascar)
- Goulam (Comoros)
- Mikl (Reunion)
- Sega el (Reunion)
- Terell Elymoor (Mayotte)
Best Artist – North Africa
- Amira Zouhair (Morocco)
- Artmasta (Tunisia
- Dystinct (Morocco
- ElGrandeToto (Morocco)
- Kader Japonais (Algeria)
- Raja Meziane (Algeria)
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