The organisers of the Trace Award show have chosen to enlist Africa’s biggest stars to perform on the stage at the first-ever Trace Award show on October 21, 2023.

At a time in Africa when more African artists need to be discovered and recognised for their talent and skills, the household name television channel on the DSTV cable, Trace TV, has stepped up to announce its maiden award show as it enlists the names of some of Africa’s most prominent singers to perform on stage.

Among the list of artists performing are Bambi, Benjamin Dube, Black Sherif, Blxckie, Bruce Melodie, Bwiza, Didi B, Dystinct, Janet Otieno, Josey, Kizz Daniel, Lisandro Cuxi, and many more.

The Compozers, a popular Afrobeat band and concert headliners, will also be part of the massive celebration of the maiden Trace Award show at the BK Arena in Kigali, Kenya.

The Trace Award boasts of being inclusive, as it released its nominee list, of which Davido and Burna Boy appear on the list with four nominations each. The Award will be televised live on the Trace TV channels, radio and streaming platforms, and satellite channels.

According to Trace’s Chairman and co-founder, Olivier Laouchez, he described African artists as “extraordinarily creative and dynamic.”

They represent a massive cultural force and deserve more global recognition and celebration. The Trace Awards’ nominations salute achievement and excellence from more than 150 performers,” he said.

The Trace Award 2023 Nominees

The nominees for the inaugural Trace Award show are

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 (DRC)

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)

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)

Best Live

Burna Boy (Nigeria)

Fally Ipupa (DRC)

Musa Keys (South Africa)

The Compozers (Ghana)

Wizkid (Nigeria)

Yemi Alade (Nigeria)

Best Producer

DJ Maphorisa (South Africa)

Juls (Ghana)

Kabza De Small (South Africa)

Kel-P (Nigeria)

Tamsir (Ivory Coast)

For more information on the other nominations, please click here.

Ayomitide Adeyinka

Ayomitide Adeyinka is a content writer, crypto journalist and editor with a Bsc in Political Science. He is also an egalitarian.