Charterhouse, organisers of the annual Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) last Saturday unveiled the nominees for this year’s edition of the awards, which was broadcast live on some selected television stations and on all VGMA social media pages.
The unveiling ceremony, which attracted a large number of music stakeholders, music fans among others, was held at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC).
The VGMA happens to be the biggest music event on the entertainment calendar in Ghana that brings together local and international acts on one platform to celebrate Ghanaian music.
It is being organised to reward deserving artistes for their hard work, dedication and contribution to Ghana’s music industry.
Instituted 22 years ago, the event which started in 2000 has grown to become the most respected awards scheme and, indeed, one of the most respected on the African continent.
The nominees’ announcement featured the big five categories: New Artiste, Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Vodafone Most Popular Song and Artiste of the Year, which are often the most anticipated and talked about categories by the public.
Some of the artistes who received nominations for the Artiste of the Year include Black Sherif, Camidoh, Sarkodie, Stonebwoy, Joe Mettle, KiDi, King Promise and Piesie Esther, who happens to be the only female gospel artiste on the list.
The Artiste of the Year award is the highest and most prestigious of the awards given at the event to artiste(s) adjudged by Charterhouse, the VGMA Board and the general public as having the highest audience appeal, radio play, online streaming and popularity.
The likes of Stonebwoy, Samini, Epixode, Ras Kuuku, Rocky Dawuni find themselves in the Best Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the Year category.
Highlife Artiste of the Year category houses Kofi Kinaata, Akwaboah, Kuami Eugene, and Abiana.
Lasmid, DJay, Malcom Nuna, Jay Bhad, Ewuraabena, DJ Azonto, and Chief One were nominated for the Best New Artiste category.
Some of the categories for this year’s VGMA include Artiste of the Year, Most Popular Song of the Year, Gospel Song of the Year, Gospel Artiste of the Year, Album of the Year, Afrobeats Song of the Year, Highlife Song of the Year, Hiplife Song of the Year, Rapper of the Year and Songwriter of the Year.
The 24th VGMAs will be held on Saturday, May 13, 2023 at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC).
By George Clifford Owusu