It's D-Day and participants and music fans are looking forward to the Trace awarding ceremony happening this evening at BK Arena. Trace Awards will honor several winners from a pool of nominees in 23 diverse categories. These awards will be received by outstanding stars in each category.
The nominees in Best Male include Asake, Burna Boy, Davido, Rema from Nigeria, Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania), Didi B (Ivory Coast), and K.O (South Africa, while the category of Best Female contenders is Ayra Starr, Tiwa Savage from Nigeria, Josey (Ivory Coast), Nadia Mukami (Kenya), Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde), and Viviane Chidid (Senegal).
Also read: Trace Awards in Kigali: Who are the top contenders?
Nominations in the category of Best Artist – Rwanda, are Ariel Wayz, Bruce Melodie, Bwiza, Chriss Eazy, and Kenny Sol, also in the category of Best Artist - East Africa, there are Diamond Platnumz, Zuchu from Tanzania, Khaligraph Jones, Nadia Mukani from Kenya and Azawi from Uganda.
The Album of the Year classification is DNK by Aya Nakamura from (France), Love Damini by Burna Boy, Maverick by Kizz Daniel, More Love, Less Ego by Wizkid, Timeless by Davido, and Work of Art by Asake they are all from Nigeria.
Under the category of Best Newcomer nominees are Azawi (Uganda), Krys M, and Libianca both from Cameroon, Nissi, Odumodublvck from Nigeria, Pabi Cooper (South Africa), and Roseline Layo from Ivory Coast.
Meanwhile, among the 23 categories there is also Song of the Year and the nominees are BKBN by Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde), People by Libianca (Cameroon), Suavemente by Soolking (France), Encre by Emma’a (Gabon), Sugarcane by Camidoh (Ghana), Sete by K.O, and MORTEL 06 by Innoss’B (DRC).
In the same category, other songs competing are Last Last by Burna Boy, Rush by Ayra Starr, Calm Down by Rema, Cough by Kizz Daniel, and Peru by Fireboy DML with Ed Sheeran.
Also read: Explainer: What you should know about Trace Awards and Festival in Rwanda
In the Best Music Video category, there are 2 Sugar by Wizkid feat. Ayra Starr, Baddie by Yemi Alade, Loaded by Tiwa Savage & Asake, Kpaflotage by Suspect 95 (Ivory Coast), Ronda by Blxckie (South Africa), Tombolo by Kalash (Martinique), and Yatapita by Diamond Platnumz.
Best Collaboration category includes Many Ways by BNXN with Wizkid, Mine” - Show Dem Camp with Oxlade, "Trumpet” - Olamide with Ckay, Peru by Fireboy DML with Ed Sheeran, Second Sermon by Black Sherif with Burna Boy.
Furthermore, other featurings include Sete by K.O with Young Stunna, Blxckie, Stamina by Tiwa Savage with Ayra Starr & Young Jonn, and Unavailable by Davido (Nigeria) with Musa Keys (South Africa).
In the Best DJ category, the nominees are Danni Gato (Cape Verde), DJ BDK (Ivory Coast), DJ Illans (France), DJ Spinall (Nigeria), Michael Brun (Haiti) and Uncle Waffles (Swaziland). Also in the classification of Best Producer nominees are DJ Maphorisa (South Africa), Juls (Ghana), Kabza de Small (South Africa), Kel-P (Nigeria), and Tamsir (Ivory Coast).
The Best Gospel Artist nominees are Benjamin Dube (South Africa), Janet Otieno (Kenya), KS Bloom (Ivory Coast), Levixone (Uganda) and Moses Bliss (Nigeria). Meanwhile, under the Best Live category, there are Burna Boy, Fally Ipupa (DRC), Musa Keys (South Africa), The Compozers (Ghana), Wizkid, and Yemi Alade.
The Best Dancers are Robot Boii (South Africa), Tayc (France), Uganda Ghetto Kids (Uganda), Yemi Alade, and Zuchu (Tanzania). While Best Artist - North Africa nominees are Amira Zouhair (Morocco), Artmasta (Tunisia), Distinct (Morocco), El Grande Toto (Morocco), Kader Japonais, and Raja Meziane from Algeria.
Also, in Best Artist Africa – Anglophone the nominees are Asake, Ayra Starr, Black Sherif, Davido, Diamond Platnumz, and Fireboy DML, and the Best Artist Africa – Francophone are Didi B (Ivory Coast), Emma’a (Gabon), Fally Ipupa, KO-C, Locko, Serge Beynaud, and Viviane Chidid.
Best Artist Africa – Lusophone nominees are Gerilson Israel, Perola from Angola, Lisandro Cuxi, Soraia Ramos from Cape Verde, and Plutonio from Mozambique.
Beyond the continent under the category of Best Artist - France & Belgium nominees are Aya Nakamura, Booba, Nihno, Ronisia, Soolking, and Tayc they are all from France. Under Best Artist – UK nominees are Central Cee, Headie One, Ms Banks, Raye, and Stormzy.
Best Artist - The Caribbean nominees are Admiral T (Guadeloupe), Bamby (French Guiana), Kalash, Maureen, Princess Lover from Martinique, Popcaan, Shenseea from Jamaica, and Rutshelle Guillaume (Haiti).
Category of Best Artist - Indian Ocean nominees are Donovan BTS (Mauritius), GaEi (Madagascar), Goulam (Comoros), Mik’l, Sega el from Reunion and Terrell Elymoor (Mayotte).As Best Artist – Brazil are Djonga, Iza, Leo Santana, Ludmilla and Luedji Luna