The second edition of Trace Awards and Festival which took place in Zanzibar, from February 24-26, with a celebration of Africa’s leading artists and the cultural narratives that inspire their craft. The 2025 event featured 28 categories, honoring the continent's most popular music genres and talents, with live broadcasts in over 200 countries in English, French, and Portuguese. Only one Rwandan artiste, Israel Mbonyi, was nominated at this year’s edition, in the Best Gospel Artist category which was won by Nigerian, Mercy Chinwo. The awarding ceremony held on February 26, brought together the biggest stars in the industry to celebrate the incredible achievements of African artists, producers, and performers. Rwandan artists The Ben, Bruce Melodie and Element Eleeeh were present at the awarding ceremony. The event, however, experienced setbacks before kickoff with strong winds which made it to be pushed to 8pm GMT for the ceremony and 6:30pm GMT for the red carpet. The livestream also faced technical issues which left virtual viewers disappointed as all Trace broadcast channels couldn’t broadcast the awards live as earlier planned. ALSO READ: Rwanda's Israel Mbonyi earns pan-African nomination at 2025 Trace Awards in Zanzibar The winners From Afrobeat to dancehall, Hip-Hop, Amapiano, and Bongo Flava, the awards spotlighted outstanding achievements across Africa's diverse music scene. Bruce Melodie joined Tanzania’s singer Harmonize on stage to perform ‘Zanzibar’, a song they released a year ago. South African duo Titom & Yuppe took home the coveted Song of the Year Award for their smash Amapiano hit ‘Tshwala Bam’, beating Diamond Platnumz for his hit single Komasawa, Burna Boy’s Higher, Rema and Shallipopi’s Benin Boys, Tems’ Love Me Jeje, and Coup du Marteau by Team Paiya and Tamsir, Tyla’s Jump, Mnike by Tyler ICU and Active by Asake and Travis Scott. Nigerian superstar Rema continued his meteoric rise, winning Album of the Year for Heis, a project that seamlessly blends Afrobeats with international sounds, further cementing his place as one of Africa’s most dynamic artists. He also took home the Best Male Artist award. Diamond Platnumz continued his global domination, winning Best Global African Artist, while Ivorian rapper Didi Bi stood out in the Best Hip Hop Artist category with his sharp flow and undeniable talent. Kenyan artiste Bien was recognized as Best East African Artist, while Chelsea Dinorath of Angola stood out as Best Portuguese-Speaking Artist for her undeniable talent. Representing Tanzania, Nandy was honoured as Best Tanzanian Artist for her remarkable contributions to the industry. Regional winners included Ivorian singer Josey, who was crowned Best French-Speaking Artist, and Nigerian sensation Ayra Starr, who continues to dominate West Africa with her powerful voice and hit songs. In Southern Africa, Tyler ICU secured the award, affirming his place as a key player in the region’s music scene. South Africa’s Tyla was named Best Female Artist, a well-deserved recognition for her originality and unique style that won hearts and ears of listeners worldwide. Over the past four years, Afro-centric music has surged to global prominence, with genres like Afrobeats, amapiano, dancehall, Afropop, zouk, kizomba, genge, coupé décalé, bongo flava, gospel, hip-hop, kompa, R&B, and rumba dominating charts worldwide. The Trace Awards and Festival aim to elevate Afro-urban music to even greater heights, seamlessly blending music promotion with collaborations in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector to boost tourism in host destinations. Star-studded Performances The awarding ceremony featured a line-up of performers from across the continent and its diaspora, including Nigerian artists Rema and Yemi Alade, Tanzanian musicians Diamond Platnumz, alikiba, Zuch, Marioo, and Nandy, as well as Congolese sensations Fally Ipupa, Innoss’ B, and Gaz Mawete. South African amapiano duo Titom & Yuppe, Kenyan artist Bien, and Senegal’s Wally Seck also took the stage. Other performers included Ivory Coast’s Did N, Josey, Tasmir, KS Bloom, Team Paiya, and HIMRA, along with King Promise, Qing Madi, and producer P Priime from Nigeria. Tanzania, as the host country, was strongly represented, with multiple homegrown artists’ performances.
