Nominees revealed for Ethiopia's Leza Awards

The nominees will be awarded in nine different categories including best film of the year, Best music album of the year, the Lifetime Achievement Award among other categories.

Six music artists will battle it out for the Best Album title, while eight songs will be in contention for Ethiopia’s Best Single of the year. Seven music videos released in early 2015 are among those that will battle it for the best music video.

Besides awarding music on the artistic excellence and quality, Leza Awards is set to award budding singers whose brand new albums managed to achieve market success. Among the artists nominated in this category is Hana Girmawho, who was first discovered at the Ethiopian Idols, and Dan Adamsu.

In 2014 Leza awards introduced the lifetime achievement award that is geared to recognize some of Ethiopia’s pioneering music artists. In 2015 seven pioneers who are deemed to have greatly contributed to the music scene in Ethiopia will be awarded. The finalists were selected based on public vote which was conducted for a period of one month.

The full list of for the music nominees is as follows:

Best Music Album

• Siwedlat - MadingoAfework
• Astaraki - Abinet Agonafir
• Meche New - Yosef Gebre
• Zebenay - Dan Admasu
• Yeneta - Tsehaye Yohanis
• ManewFitsum - Biruktawit Getahun (Betty G)

Best Music Single

• 'Seba Dereja' - Teddy Afro
• 'Sidet' - Yegna
• 'Seifhen Ansa' - Zeritu Kebede
• 'Alsemam' - Jacky Gossy
• 'Mal Naweya' - Abinet Agonafir
• 'Hagere' -Mahmoud Ahmed
• 'Yefikir Girma' -Tsedenya Gebremarkos

Best Music Video

• 'ShikBiles’ by Yosef Gebre
• 'Astarakiby' Abinet Agonafir
• 'ManewYalew' by Abinet Agonafir
• 'Tangut' by Madingo Afework
• 'Nana Demaye' by Betty G
• 'Keza Sefer' by Tamirat Desta

Best New Album

• Zebenay by Dan Admasu
• Ewnet by Hana Girma’s.
• Manew Fisum by Betty G
• Selamta by Ras Janny 

Best Film Score

• Tsedenya Gebremarkos in Hareyet
• Anteneh Minalu in Lamba
• Matias Yilma in YayeYifredew
• Kasahun Eshetu in Shefu 2
• Elias Husein in FikirenaGenzeb
• Hailu Amerga in Zetegn Mot

Lifetime Achievement

• Maritu legesse
• Alemayehu Eshete
• Bahta Gebrehiwot
• Dawit Yifru
• Girma Beyene
• Girma Negash
• Yohannis Afework