Global music powerhouse and Afro-music tastemaker Trace has revealed the nominees for the first ever Trace Awards in Africa, a live event & global TV spectacular that celebrates the creativity, talent and influence of African and Afro-inspired music and artists.

Taking place live on 21 October 2023 at the BK Arena, Kigali, Rwanda.

Competing in 22 award categories are platinum-selling artists from more than thirty countries.

Leading the nominations are West African artists, particularly Nigerian artists, who underscore the global popularity of Nigerian Afrobeat with over 40 nominations in total, including multiple nominations for Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, Davido, WizKid, Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, Fireboy DML and Rema.

The diverse music of the African diasporas is represented by nominations for some of the most acclaimed artists in France, Brazil, UK, The Caribbean and the Indian Ocean including Stormzy (UK), Booba and Aya Nakamura (France), Leo Santana (Brazil), Shenseea (Jamaica), Donovan BTS (Mauritius), Princess Lover and Kalash (Martinique), Bamby (Guyane) and Admiral T (Guadeloupe).

Targeted at lovers of African and Afro-inspired music and culture, the Trace Awards will broadcast live on 21 October 2023 on Trace TV, radio and digital channels and on global streaming platforms, national terrestrial TV and satellite channels.
 The viewership and social interaction is expected to exceed 500 million fans in 190 countries.

For a full list of nominations  see 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 (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 ARTISTS
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 – RUWANDA
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
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)

Voting goes live Monday 21 August 2023 at 18H00 CEST at https://trace.plus/awards

For more information about the Awards, follow Trace on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter YouTube or TikTok To join the conversation about the awards please use the hashtags #TraceAwardsRwanda2023, #TraceAwardsandFestival and #TraceAwardsTour.