Ghana DJ Awards Festival 2021 slated for November

The news was revealed by the organisers, Merqury Republic, ahead of the ninth edition of the event. Founded in 2013, the annual awards ceremony seeks to recognise outstanding achievements by Ghanaian and international DJs and musicians, among other industry stakeholders.

Ghana DJ Awards founder and producer Merqury Quaye said his outfit would continue to prioritise the health and safety of all stakeholders, and maintain a different format given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the event was held with a limited live audience.

“Africa’s biggest DJ music festival will go on implementing an innovative production direction this year,” he said.

The nominees for this year’s awards will be unveiled in October. The Battle of Our Time Experience, which is traditionally held during the awards ceremony, will be expanded into a reality show on local TV.

This year’s awards are expected to be preceded by a workshop for local DJs, an initiative that has been lauded by Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Tourism and Creative Arts Mark Okraku Mantey.

“We have been organising a programme that seeks to motivate and inspire DJs who have been doing amazing work over the years,” Quaye said. “However, what we haven’t done is to also impart knowledge to them. Unfortunately, there are no formal institutions that narrow in on the DJ profession, so this is an initiative to help improve the DJ culture and industry.”

Last year's edition was led by DJ Vyrusky with seven nominations, and picked up the trophies for Artist DJ of the Year and Overall Best DJ of the Year.

Meanwhile, in May, an umbrella body for professional DJs called the DJs Union of Ghana (DJUGA) was launched in Accra to ensure the welfare, education and general well-being of DJs while complementing the efforts of the Ghana DJ Awards by providing a platform to promote DJs.

At the time, the acting president of DJUGA’s executive council, Kwame Adu Gyamfi, said: “One of our core objectives is to regulate members’ relations with their employers and/or employers’ associations and with each other.”

Organising secretary Daniel Badu added: “We are going to work to maximise the employment and overall income of DJs, protect and improve working conditions. We also offer advice, support and legal assistance based on every individual member’s needs.”