Music media platform, Trace has revealed the nominees for its inaugural Trace Awards- a live event & global TV spectacular designed to celebrate the creativity, talent, and influence of African and Afro-inspired music and artists.
The event will take place on 21 October 2023 at the BK Arena, Kigali, Rwanda, the Trace Awards & Festival is presented by Visit Rwanda and Martell. The continent will be represented by showcasing the excellence and diversity of Afro-centric music in genres such as Afrobeat, Dancehall, Hip Hop, Afro-pop, Mbalax, Amapiano, Zouk, Kizomba, Genge, Coupé Décalé, Bongo Flava, Soukous, Gospel, Rap, Rai, Kompa, R&B, and Rumba.
Competing in 22 award categories are platinum-selling artists from more than thirty countries in Africa, South America, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and Europe including Algeria, Angola, Brazil, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Comoros, DRC, France, French Guiana, Gabon, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Madagascar, Martinique, Mayotte, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Reunion, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tunisia, the UK and Uganda. The winners will take home one or more Trace Awards Trophies – unique pieces of art designed by acclaimed Congolese sculptor and designer, Dora Prevost.
The nominations are listed below;
| CATEGORY | ARTIST NAME |
| 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 sponsored by Luc Belaire | Azawi (Uganda)
Krys M (Cameroon) Libianca (Cameroon) Nissi (Nigeria) Odumodublvck (Nigeria) Pabi Cooper (South Africa) Roseline 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 – Brazil | Djonga (Brazil)
Iza (Brazil) Leo Santana (Brazil) Ludmilla (Brazil) Luedji Luna (Brazil) |
| 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) |