Legendary singer, Tuface, received a Lifetime Achievement award.
By Helena Olori
Nigerian music genre, Afrobeats, continues its ascension, taking centre stage at the inaugural Trace Awards in Kigali, Rwanda, with Afrobeats powerhouse, Davido, sensation singer Rema, and Grammy award-winner, Burna Boy, topping the winners’ list.
The star-studded event, organised to celebrate Trace’s 20th anniversary as a global TV and multimedia platform, saw more than 150 nominees across 25 categories of diverse music genres.
Davido clinched two prestigious awards – Best Male Artiste and Best Collaboration – for his hit track “Unavailable”, featuring South African recorded producer, Musa Keys.
Rema’s billboard charting track, “Calm Down”, was dubbed the “Song of the Year”, while the Afrobeats sensation – tying with South African singer, Nomcebo – was named the Best Global African Artiste.
(Read also: Rema’s “Calm Down” with Selena Gomez Wins Inaugural Best Afrobeat Award at the 2023 MTV VMAs)
Taking home the accolade for Album of the Year is Burna Boy’s 2022 Grammys-nominated album, Love, Damini. The African giant beat fellow Nigerian stars, Wizkid, Davido, Kizz Daniel, Asake, and French singer, Aya Nakamura to the title.
Meanwhile, “Baddie” by Yemi Alade was awarded Best Music Video. The fast-rising singer, Asake, is acclaimed as the Best Artiste Africa – Anglophone.
Outside the competitive categories, a Lifetime Achievement award was bestowed on the legendary Tuface, with Mr Eazi receiving a Change Maker award.
(Read also: Wizkid Makes History as First African Singer to Receive the Brit Billion Award)
Hosted by the ace Nigerian singer, D’banj and Angolan supermodel, Maria Borges, the maiden edition of the awards, held at the BK Arena on Saturday, 21 October, featured electrifying performances from Davido, Yemi Alade, Black Sherif, Kizz Daniel, Rema, Didi B, Viviane Chidid, and others.
The Trace Awards is a new award franchise created to celebrate the excellence and diversity of Afro-centric music in genres such as Afrobeat, Dancehall, Hip Hop, Afro-pop, Mbalax, and Amapiano.
See the complete list of nominees and winners below:
Album of the Year
DNK – Aya Nakamura (France)
Maverick – Kizz Daniel (Nigeria)
More Love, Less Ego – Wizkid (Nigeria)
Timeless – Davido (Nigeria)
Work of Art – Asake (Nigeria)
WINNER: Love, Damini – Burna Boy (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)
“Peru” – Fireboy DML (Nigeria) with Ed Sheeran (UK)
“Sete” – K.O (South Africa)
“Cough” – Kizz Daniel (Nigeria)
“Mortel 06” – Innoss’B (DRC)
WINNER: “Calm Down” – Rema (Nigeria)
Best Music Video
“2 Sugar” – Wizkid (Nigeria) feat. Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
“Kpaflotage” – Suspect 95 (Ivory Coast)
“Loaded” – Tiwa Savage(Nigeria) & Asake (Nigeria)
“Ronda” – Blxckie (South Africa)
“Tombolo” – Kalash (Martinique)
“Yatapita” – Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
WINNER: Baddie – Yemi Alade (Nigeria)
Best Male
Asake (Nigeria)
Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Didi B (Ivory Coast)
K.O (South Africa)
Rema (Nigeria)
WINNER: Davido (Nigeria)
Best Female
Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
Josey (Ivory Coast)
Nadia Mukami (Kenya)
Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)
Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)
WINNER: Viviane Chidid (Senegal)
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)
WINNER: “Unavailable” – Davido (Nigeria) with Musa Keys (South Africa)
Best Newcomer
Azawi (Uganda)
Krys M (Cameroon)
Libianca (Cameroon)
Nissi (Nigeria)
Odumodublvck (Nigeria)
Pabi Cooper (South Africa)
WINNER: Roseline Layo (Ivory Coast)
Best Producer
DJ Maphorisa (South Africa)
Juls (Ghana)
Kabza de Small (South Africa)
Kel-P (Nigeria)
WINNER: Tam Sir (Ivory Coast)
Best Gospel Artiste
Benjamin Dube (South Africa)
Janet Otieno (Kenya)
Levixone (Uganda)
Moses Bliss (Nigeria)
WINNER: KS Bloom (Ivory Coast)
Best DJ
Danni Gato (Cape Verde)
DJ BDK (Ivory Coast)
DJ Illans (France)
DJ Spinall (Nigeria)
Uncle Waffles (Swaziland)
WINNER: Michael Brun (Haiti)
Best Live
Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Musa Keys (South Africa)
The Compozers (Ghana)
Wizkid (Nigeria)
Yemi Alade (Nigeria)
WINNER: Fally Ipupa (DRC)
Best Dancer
Tayc (France)
Uganda Ghetto Kids (Uganda)
Yemi Alade (Nigeria)
Zuchu (Tanzania)
WINNER: Robot Boii (South Africa)
Best Artiste Africa – Anglophone
Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
Black Sherif (Ghana)
Davido (Nigeria)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Fireboy DML (Nigeria)
WINNER: Asake (Nigeria)
Best Artiste Africa – Francophone
Emma’a (Gabon)
Fally Ipupa (DRC)
KO-C (Cameroon)
Locko (Cameroon)
Serge Beynaud (Ivory Coast)
Viviane Chidid (Senegal)
WINNER: Didi B (Ivory Coast)
Best Artiste Africa – Lusophone
Gerilson Insrael (Angola)
Perola (Angola)
Plutonio (Mozambique)
Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)
WINNER: Lisandro Cuxi (Cape Verde)
Best Artiste – North Africa
Amira Zouhair (Morocco)
Artmasta (Tunisia)
El Grande Toto (Morocco)
Kader Japonais (Algeria)
Raja Meziane (Algeria)
WINNER: Dystinct (Morocco)
Best Artiste – East Africa
Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)
Zuchu (Tanzania)
Khaligraph (Kenya)
Nadia Mukani (Kenya)
Azawi (Uganda)
WINNER: Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Best Artiste – Rwanda
Ariel Wayz (Rwanda)
Bwiza (Rwanda)
Chriss Eazy (Rwanda)
Kenny Sol (Rwanda)
WINNER: Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)
Best Artiste – France & Belgium
Aya Nakamura (France)
Booba (France)
Nihno (France)
Ronisia (France)
Soolking (France)
WINNER: Tayc (France)
Best Artiste – UK
Headie One (UK)
Ms Banks (UK)
Raye (UK)
Stormzy (UK)
WINNER: Central Cee (UK)
Best Artiste – The Caribbean
Admiral T (Guadeloupe)
Bamby (French Guiana)
Kalash (Martinique)
Maureen (Martinique)
Popcaan (Jamaica)
Princess Lover (Martinique)
Shenseea (Jamaica)
WINNER: Rutshelle Guillaume (Haiti)
Best Artiste – Indian Ocean
Donovan BTS (Mauritius)
GaEi (Madagascar)
Mik’l (Reunion)
Sega el (Reunion)
Terrell Elymoor (Mayotte)
WINNER: Goulam (Comoros)
Best Artiste – Brazil
Djonga (Brazil)
Iza (Brazil)
Leo Santana (Brazil)
Luedji Luna (Brazil)
WINNER: Ludmilla (Brazil)