In honor of its 20th anniversary, TRACE, an afro-urban multimedia and digital powerhouse, is gearing up for the launch of a captivating live awards show and festival.
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Nadia, Janet Otieno only 2 Kenyan artists nominated for TRACE Awards
Nadia Mukami faces off against African giants such as Yemi Alade and Tiwa Savage at TRACE Awards
From left: Nadia Mukami & Janet Otieno
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Slated for October 21, 2023 at the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, the TRACE Awards and Festival will spotlight and appreciate the rich tapestry of African and Afro-inspired music and culture worldwide.
With 22 awards up for grabs, the nominations showcase an impressive lineup of platinum-selling artists hailing from over 30 countries across Africa, South America, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, and Europe.
Kenyan artists Nadia Mukami and Janet Otieno have been nominated for the Best Female Artist and Best Gospel Artist categories respectively.
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Singer Nadia Mukami
Singer Nadia Mukami
Pulse Live Kenya
Nigerian musicians dominated the nominations list with 40 representatives. The list also includes musicians from various corners of the world such as Stormzy (UK), Aya Nakamura (France), Leo Santana (Brazil), and Shenseea (Jamaica).
The Trace Awards ceremony aims to honor artists from diverse genres, encompassing Afrobeats, dancehall, hip hop, mbalax, amapiano, zouk, kizomba, genge, coupé décalé, bongo flava, soukous, gospel, rap, rai, kompa, R&B, and rumba.
Gospel singer Janet Otieno
Gospel singer Janet Otieno in Mourning
Pulse Live Kenya
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The Awards is anticipated to be a spectacular event that not only recognises exceptional talent but also celebrates the vibrant diversity within the African and Afro-inspired music landscape.
Here is the full list of Trace Awards nominees
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
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- 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 Artist
- Asake (Nigeria)
- Burna Boy (Nigeria)
- Davido (Nigeria)
- Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
- Didi B (Ivory Coast)
- K.O (South Africa)
- Rema (Nigeria)
Best Female Artist
- Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
- Josey (Ivory Coast)
- Nadia Mukami (Kenya)
- Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)
- Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)
- Viviane Chidid (Senegal)
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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
- Azawi (Uganda)
- Krys M (Cameroon)
- Libianca (Cameroon)
- Nissi (Nigeria)
- Odumodublvck (Nigeria)
- Pabi Cooper (South Africa)
- Roselyne Layo (Ivory Coast)
Best Collaboration
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- 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)
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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
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- 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)
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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
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- 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)
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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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