Davido, Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Tiwa Savage are in the running for the 2023 Trace Awards, as announced by music media company Trace on Monday. The event is set to be held at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, on October 21, 2023. This live extravaganza will honour the creativity and impact of African and Afro-inspired music and culture, reaching an anticipated global audience of 500 million across 190 countries.
The nominations span across various categories including artists, music producers, DJs, writers, composers, directors, and record labels. Notably, Nigerian artists have taken the spotlight with over 40 nominations, led by Afrobeats influencers Davido and Burna Boy, each securing four nods in categories like ‘Best Male’, ‘Song of the Year’, ‘Best Live’, ‘Best Collaboration’, ‘Best Artist’, and ‘Album of the Year’.
The nominations reflect a diverse range of talents, with other Nigerian artists like Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, and Fireboy DML securing three nominations each, while Rema and Kizz Daniel received two nods. The event’s chairman and co-founder, Olivier Laouchez, expressed enthusiasm for the nominees, hailing the event as a celebration of excellence spanning multiple facets of the music industry. The awards will feature 22 categories, recognizing artists from more than 30 countries worldwide, and the trophy designed by Congolese artist Dora Prevost is highly anticipated. In addition to Africa-based musicians, the international scope of African diaspora music is acknowledged through the inclusion of nominees from France, Brazil, the UK, the Caribbean, and the Indian Ocean.
Full nomination list below:
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)
Roseline 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 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)
