The globally-anticipated Nominees List for the 5th All Africa Music Awards has been unveiled by the African Union Commission and the International Jury of AFRIMA during a World Media announcement held on August 14, 2018, at the Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The released nominees list covers the five Regional Categories divided into Female and Male categories as follows: Best Female Artiste in Central Africa; Best Male Artiste in Central Africa; Best Female Artiste in Eastern Africa; Best Male Artiste in Eastern Africa; Best Female Artiste in Northern Africa; Best Male Artiste in Northern Africa; Best Female Artiste in Southern Africa; Best Male Artiste in Southern Africa; Best Female Artiste in Western Africa and Best Male Artiste in Western Africa.
A total of 79 songs made it to the Regional nominees list.
Cameroon takes up four of the eight spots in the category for Best Female Artiste in Central Africa, followed by DRC (2), and Angola (2).
In the category for Best Male Artiste in Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) takes the lead with five spots followed by Cameroon two and Chad one.
From Eastern Africa, the female category Kenya holds three spots while Uganda takes two with Ethiopia, Rwanda and Tanzania occupying one nomination slot respectively.
In the male category, Kenya and Tanzania maintain three nominations each Tanzania ties with Ethiopia and Tanzania registering one nomination apiece.
The Algerian female artistes have a lead ahead of their male counterparts as they took four out of the six spots in the category for Best Female Artiste in Northern Africa, with Tunisia and Egypt holding one spot each.
The Male category has Moroccan artistes occupying four of the eight spots, Algeria two, Egypt and Tunisia earning one nomination each.
The Southern African region is dominated by South African artistes both in the male and female categories, with a total of nine spots, followed by Zimbabwe – three, while Swaziland, Namibia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe take one spot each.
The Western region Male category is having great contenders between Nigeria and Ghana.
Holding up four spots is Nigeria, closely followed by Ghana (3), while Guinea and Cape Verde hold one spot each.
The Best Female Artiste in the Western region has Nigeria and Ghana in a tie of two spots respectively, with Benin (1), Mali (1), Senegal (1), and Cote d’Ivoire (1).
While providing insights into the process by which the entries were reviewed and graded, the spokesperson for the International Jury of AFRIMA and the Programme Director, Cameroon TV and Radio, Robert Ekukole (representing Eastern Africa) explained that tasked with the responsibility of carefully and mindfully sieving through 8,009 entries
submitted by African music professionals within the awards validity period of August 1, 2017 to August 1, 2018, “the jury members have no choice but to be thorough and deliberate about their work because we will be doing artistes and creators of these works a great injustice if we don’t accord them the review their works deserves.
“The AFRIMA Nominees list we arrived at reflects and represents the top-notch creative expressions of music talents and professionals within the relevant regions and validity period. However, we also have a challenge where some artistes failed to enter for the awards and as such missed the opportunity to be evaluated or possibly nominated for AFRIMA.”
The AFRIMA adjudication is carried out electronically via the proprietary AFRIMA Adjudication Software, which was designed by AFRIMA in 2014.
It has been deployed for use since the 2015 annual adjudication process.
When public voting opens on the AFRIMA website on August 27, both continental and regional nominees in the 38 AFRIMA award categories will compete against one another for the coveted 23.9 carat gold-plated AFRIMA Trophy.
Nominees will now depend on votes from their fans and followers spread across the globe to vote for their songs in an open voting process via the AFRIMA website: www.afrima.org.
From August 7, when the annual adjudication process began, the 13-man AFRIMA Jury worked painstakingly and tirelessly in assessing and grading the submitted entries which was an astronomical increase of 63 per cent against the 2017 entries received by AFRIMA.
Speaking on the parameters considered by the Jury during the adjudication process, Jury member representing Diaspora (North America), Hadja Kobélé Keita, a music executive with work experience in international music companies like Universal Music Africa and Island Africa, reiterated the AFRIMA objective, which is about rewarding and promoting talents and creativity in Africa.
Keita said: “AFRIMA has specific guidelines they follow in considering musical works that are nominated yearly, besides these guidelines, we also look out for the quality of works submitted. An artiste’s popularity will not influence the Jury’s verdict, just because an artiste has 100 million views on Youtube does not guarantee making the list, unless such works are produced with high quality and represent the continent properly. Other guidelines the Jury considers are the current trends and market position.”
The AFRIMA’s open voting process will occur via the AFRIMA website: www.afrima.org. Music lovers will be empowered to decide which artiste/song emerges winners of the 23.9 carat gold-plated AFRIMA trophy.
The 5th AFRIMA is scheduled to hold in November 2018.
Other activities scheduled for the main awards events is the Africa Music Business
Roundtable, a combination of musical conference and trade expo, where stakeholders in the creative and arts industry come together to discuss the business of music in Africa, also the AFRIMA Music Village, a music concert and cultural festival that accommodates over 40,000 music lovers across the continent who witness live performances from their favourite African artistes.
Best Female Artiste in Central Africa | |||
Name of Artist | Country | Track title | |
1 | Amanda Malela | DRC | Kumama |
2 | Anabela Aya | Angola | I love you Bue |
3 | Blanche Baily | Cameroon | BonBon |
4 | Bruna Tatiana | Angola | Amo-te |
5 | Charlotte Dipanda ft Yemi Alade | Cameroon | Sista |
6 | Daphne | Cameroon | Jusqu’à La Gare |
7 | Iyenga | DRC | Sorry |
8 | Shura | Cameroon | Allez Dire |
Best Male Artiste in Central Africa | |||
Name of Artist | Country | Track title | |
1 | AFROTRONIX | Chad | DYD |
2 | Belamy Paluku (DRC) | DRC | Blood Brothers |
3 | Dadju | DRC | Bob Marley |
4 | FALLY IPUPA FT KEBACK& NAZ | DRC | MANNEQUIN |
5 | GAZ MAWETE | DRC | PAULINA |
6 | Locko | Cameroon | Je Serai La |
7 | Magasco | Cameroon | Sokoto |
8 | Maite Gims Ft. Vianney | DRC | La Meme |
Best Female Artiste in Eastern Africa | |||
Name of Artist | Country | Track title | |
1 | Betty G | Ethiopia | Mengedegna |
2 | Irene namatovu | Uganda | Nsambila nyuma nga janzi |
3 | Maua Sama | Tanzania | Nakuelewa |
4 | Petra Ft. Victoria Kimani | Kenya | I got that |
5 | Rash Ft Ruff | Kenya | Nitachange |
6 | Sandra Nankoma | Uganda | kaddugala |
7 | Sheebah SASHA VYBZ | Uganda | Mummy Yo |
8 | Vibe ft MC Galaxy | Rwanda | Neza |
Best Male Artiste in Eastern Africa | |||
Name of Artist | Country | Track title | |
1 | Bebe Cool | Uganda | Freedom |
2 | Diamond Platnumz | Tanzania | A boy from Tandale |
3 | HARMONIZE FT DIAMOND PLATNUMZ | Tanzania | KWANGWARU |
4 | Kagwe Mungai Ft. Niniola | Kenya | Till the end |
5 | Khaligraph Jones Ft. Petra | Kenya | Rider |
6 | Nyashinski | Kenya | Bebi Bebi |
7 | RAYVANNY FT MAPHORISA & DJ BUCKZ | Tanzania | MAKULUSA |
8 | Yamiu Mola | Ethiopia | Wegegta |
Best Female Artiste in Northern Africa | |||
Name of Artist | Country | Track title | |
1 | Kenza | Algeria | Maliket Saba |
2 | Lyna Mahyem | Algeria | Boucan |
3 | Lyna Mahyem ft Medi Meyz | Algeria | Bye Bye |
4 | Maryam Saleh, Maurice Louca, Tamer Abu Ghazaleh | Egypt | Ekaa Maksour |
5 | N-S feat Kafon | Tunisia | Daloula |
6 | Souhia Ben Lachhab | Algeria | Lik Manwalich |
Best Male Artiste in Northern Africa | |||
Name of Artist | Country | Track title | |
1 | Abu Ft. Yousta | Egypt | 3 Daqat |
2 | Balti ft Hamouda | Tunisia | Ya Lili |
3 | DJ Moh Green Ft. Magasco | Algeria | Por Favor |
4 | Hamza El Fadly | Morocco | Ya Mraya |
5 | Lartiste ft Carolina | Morocco | Mafiosa |
6 | Muslim | Morocco | Mama |
7 | Saad Lamjarred | Morocco | Casablanca |
8 | Sofiane Ft. Maitre Gims | Algeria | Arafricain |
Best Female Artiste in Southern Africa | |||
Name of Artist | Country | Track title | |
1 | Ammara Brown | Zimbabwe | Akiliz |
2 | Babes Wodumu | South Africa | Ganda Ganda Ft. Mampintsha & Madanon |
3 | Lily | Malawi | Bad at Love |
4 | Mandisa Mamba | Swaziland | Party |
5 | Nadia Nakai | South Africa | Money Calling Ft. Frank Casino |
6 | Rouge | South Africa | Dololo Ft. Bigstar |
7 | Ruby the Pigeon | Namibia | Rorisang |
8 | Shekhinah | South Africa | Please Mr |
Best Male Artiste in Southern Africa | |||
Name of Artist | Country | Track title | |
1 | Cassper Nyovest | South Africa | Ksazobalit |
2 | EXQ | Zimbabwe | Pahukama Ft. Jah Prayzah |
3 | Jah Prayzah | Zimbabwe | Nziyo Yerudo Ft. Yemi Alade |
4 | Kwesta | South Africa | Spirit Ft. Wale |
5 | Nasty C | South Africa | Jungle |
6 | Roberto | Zambia | Contolola Ft. Patoranking |
7 | Shane Eagle | South Africa | Let it Flow |
8 | Sibusiso Mashiloane | South Africa | Niza |
Best Female Artiste in Western Africa | |||
Name of Artist | Country | Track title | |
1 | Angelique Kidjo | Benin | Once in a Lifetime |
2 | Aya Nakamura | Mali | Oumou Sangare |
3 | Becca | Ghana | Number One Ft. Mr. Eazi |
4 | Efya | Ghana | Mame Ft. Mr Eazi |
5 | Josey | Cote d’Ivoire | Jour J-O |
6 | Simi | Nigeria | Joromi |
7 | Tiwa Savage | Nigeria | Ma Lo Ft. Wizkid & Spellz |
8 | Viviane Chidid | Senegal | Marriage Force |
Best Male Artiste in Western Africa | |||
Name of Artist | Country | Track title | |
1 | Davido | Nigeria | Fia |
2 | DJ Spinall | Nigeria | Nowo Ft. Wizkid |
3 | Djodje | Cape Verde | Be Mine Ft. Patoranking |
4 | King Promise | Ghana | CCTV Ft. Mugeez |
5 | Kuami Eugene | Ghana | Angela |
6 | Kwesi Arthur | Ghana | Grind Day Ft. Sarkodie & Medikal |
7 | MHD | Guinea | Bella Ft. Wizkid |
8 | Olamide | Nigeria | Wo! |
9 | Starboy | Nigeria | Soco Ft. Terry, Spotless, Ceeza Milli & Wizkid |