São Tomé & Principe ready for annual STP Music Awards

Following recent kick-off concerts in the cities of Guadalupe and Santana, Wuando Castro de Andrade, the coordinator-general of the STP Music Awards, along with Daniel Mendes, coordinator-general of the Angola Music Awards, met on Wednesday 24 June with the president of island nation, Manuel Pinto da Costa. The meeting took place at the Morro da Trindade, the official residence of the Chief of State, and allowed the organizers of the STP Music Awards to give a detailed overview of the project and to invite the President to the gala event.

According to Wuando de Andrade: "His Excellency the President showed full readiness to participate in the event and welcomed in this initiative that will boost the cultural sector in the country and simultaneously gather the nation of Sao Tome around a common cause. We discussed the development of project and in relation to the national tour with appointed singers, which ends this Saturday at the Parque Popular in the Água Grande district.”

The nominees for the 2015 STP Music Awards are as follows:

Best Album:

• “Afé ku Dêsu” – Leo Boca Copo
• “Boleia” – Kalú Mendes
• “Bomu Kêlê” – Calema
• “Na ponta da língua” – Vibrados
• “Sofrimento” – Tubias Vaiana

Best Music Video:

• “Boleia” – Kalú Mendes
• “Bomu Kêlê” – Calema
• “Loça na té bê fa” – Lindex
• “Lemblá Passado” – VM Brothers
• “Adewa congo” – Leo Boca Copo

Best Male Artist:

• Kalú Mendes
• Leo Boca Copo
• Tubias Vaiana
• João Seria
• Pêpê lima

Best Female Artist:

• Bruna Lee
• Isla do Sacramento
• Nelly Strong
• Sebastiana
• Xinha

Best New Artist:

• Angelo Mendes
• Bruna Lee
• Kila Z
• VM Brothers
• Weyda Mumya

Song of the Year:

• "Bomu Kêlê" - Calema
• "Crianças Africanas" - Alex Dinho
• "Está a Gostar" - WK & 40 Cabelos
• "Nala Vaji" - Chingui & Eidji
• "Quá Téla" - Nelly Strong

Most popular artist on the Internet:

• AG Flyzer
• Calema
• Haylton Dias
• Nelly Strong
• WK & 40 Cabelos

Best Group/Band:

• África Negra
• Amigos da Cultura
• Calema
• Vibrados
• VM Brothers 

Best Traditional Group:

• Bulawê Chão-Chão
• Bulawê Marina
• Bulawê Tindon
• Grupo Dêxa
• Bulawê Pastelin

Best Traditional Music:

• "Bô bendê pixi" – Bulawê Tindon
• "Bô tê djêlu bô tê muala" – Bulawê Atlântico
• "Inen nina ku inen mosu" – Bulawê Marina
• "Tarachinha" – Grupo Dêxa
• "Vivê ku non vivê" – Bulawê Pastelin

Unitel ‘Hello World’ Artist:

• Kalú Mendes
• Makina Electronica
• Tubias Vaiana
• VM Brothers
• Weyda Mumia
• WK & 40 Cabelos

Best DJ

• DJ Alione 
• DJ Alma 
• DJ Anjo Delax 
• DJ Queimabilha 
• DJ The Boss

Two more awards honour local legends, the Career Prize and the posthumous Achievement Award. President Da Costa is expected to present the Career Award. Besides the president, confirmed guests include Angolan stars Bruna Tatiana and Totó, both winners at the recent 2015 Angola Music Awards.

The STP Music Awards Competition is sponsored by Unitel and aims to recognize the excellence of São Tomé music by awarding top performers and producers of the preceding year, to create greater public awareness of the cultural diversity of artists and their contributions, and to encourage initiatives to develop the culture the country. The choice of winners is the responsibility of the STPMA Jury and the Organizing Committee, along with the results of public voting via the event website, which closes on 2 July.