Ghana: VGMAs strike partnership with Twitter

The VGMAs are put together by event company Charterhouse Ghana in partnership with the Musicians Union of Ghana and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. This year’s edition will mark the scheme’s 23rd year in existence.

The two outfits will collaborate to present VGMA-related content on the micro-blogging platform, which was recently acquired by South Africa-born business magnate Elon Musk.

Twitter will particularly highlight the event via a customised hashmoji to authenticate VGMA conversations around the world. The hashmoji will include #VGMA2022, #VGMA23onTV3, #VGMA23Unsung and #VGMA, and will appear whenever #VGMA23 is typed in a tweet. 

“The Vodafone Ghana Music Awards has over the years, lived up to its mandate,” Twitter senior partner manager Bernard Sokpe said. “It’s been consistent in organising exceptional shows while pulling together the movers and shakers of the industry.”

VGMAs’ head of public events and communications Robert Klah added: “We are happy to walk the path with a global tech giant. This can only mean one thing, exciting times ahead.”

Meanwhile, Kuami Eugene and KiDi lead this year’s nominations with 16 and eight nods, respectively, followed by fast-rising star Black Sherif with eight. The musicians are also up for the Artist of the Year category alongside King Promise, Sarkodie and Joe Mettle.

Voting is ongoing online here. Fans can also text their preferred artist’s code to 1767 on the Vodafone network only.

The 2022 VGMAs will be held at the Grand Arena in Accra and will be broadcast live on TV3.

Below is the full list of nominees:

Best Gospel Song

• ‘Oluwa Is Involved’ – Joyce Blessing
• ‘Ye Obua Mi’ – Joe Mettle
• ‘Ote Me Mu’ – Ohemaa Mercy ft. MOG Music
• ‘Awurade Ye’ – Diana Hamilton
• ‘Only You’ – Celestine Donkor
• ‘Enyo’ – Bethel Revival ft. Joe Mettle
• ‘Yahweh’ – Akesse Brempong ft. MOG Music
• ‘Eye Woaa’ – Empress Gifty
• ‘Mapekɛ’ – Scott Evans
• ‘The Glory’ – Obaapa Christy

Best Gospel Artist

• Celestine Donkor
• Diana Hamilton
• Obaapa Christy
• Joe Mettle
• MOGMusic
• Empress Gifty
• Ohemaa Mercy
• Akesse Brempong

Vodafone Most Popular Song

• ‘Slow Down’ – King Promise
• ‘Ote Me Mu’ – Ohemaa Mercy ft. MOGMusic
• ‘Yeeko’ – Okyeame Kwame ft. Kuami Eugene
• ‘Forever Remix’ – Gyakie ft. Omah Lay
• ‘Je M’apelle’ – Darkovibes ft. Davido
• ‘Second Sermon’ – Black Sherif
• ‘Dollar On You’ – Kuami Eugene
• ‘Ye Obua Mi’ – Joe Mettle
• ‘Praise’ – Fameye
• ‘Echoke’ – Sefa
• ‘Mood’ – Mr Drew

Best Highlife Song

• ‘Thy Grace (Part 1)’ – Kofi Kinaata
• Jonathan – AK Songstress
• ‘Obiaa’ – Akwaboah ft. Cina Soul
• ‘Yard’ – Bisa Kdei
• ‘Tena Fie’ – Kuami Eugene
• ‘Feelings’ – Cina Soul ft. KiDi

Best Hiplife Song

• ‘Yeeko’ – Okyeame Kwame ft. Kuami Eugene
• ‘No Fugazy’ – Sarkodie
• ‘Biibi Besi’ – Kwame Yogot ft. Kuami Eugene
• ‘Accra’ – Medikal
• ‘Abodie’ – Captain Planet ft. Kuami Eugene
• ‘Kom’ – Fancy Gadam
• ‘Zenabu’ – DopeNation ft. Dancegod Lloyd, Afrobeast, DWP Academy
• ‘S3k3’ – Mr Drew

Best Afrobeats Song

• ‘Celebrate’ – Kwesi Arthur ft. Teni
• ‘Dollar On You’ – Kuami Eugene
• ‘E Choke’ – S3fa ft. Mr Drew
• ‘’Coming Home – MzVee ft. Tiwa Savage
• ‘Sugar Cane’ – Camidoh ft. Phantom
• ‘Mon Bebe’ – KiDi
• ‘Je M’appelle’ – Darko Vibes ft. Davido

Best Afropop Song

• ‘Heat’ – Wendy Shay ft. Shay Gang
• ‘Forever (remix)’ – Gyakie ft. Omah Lay
• ‘Mood’ – Mr Drew
• ‘Slow Down’ – King Promise
• ‘Enjoyment Minister’ – D-Black ft. Quamina MP, Stonebwoy
• ‘Sad Girlz Luv Money’ – Amaarae ft. Moliy, Kali Uchis
• ‘Praise’ – Fameye

Best Hip Hop Song

• ‘Abotre’ – Amerado ft. Black Sherif
• ‘Winning’ – Kwesi Arthur ft. Vic Mensa
• ‘Second Sermon’ – Black Sherif
• ‘Coachella’ – Sarkodie ft. Kwesi Arthur
• ‘Sika Aba Fie’ – Kweku Darlington ft. Kuami Eugene, Kweku Flick, Yaw Tog, Fameye
• ‘Sore (remix)’ – Yaw Tog ft. Stormzy, Kwesi Arthur

Best Reggae/Dancehall Song

• ‘1 Gad’ – Stonebwoy
• ‘Touch It’ – KiDi
• ‘Picture’ – Samini ft. Efya
• ‘Greedy Men’ – Stonebwoy
• ‘New Gen’ – Stonebwoy
• ‘Odeshie’ – Epixode

Reggae/Dancehall Artist Of The Year

• Samini
• Larruso
• Epixode
• Stonebwoy

Collaboration of the Year

• ‘Abodie’ – Captain Planet ft. Kuami Eugene
• ‘Yeeko’ – Okyeame Kuami ft. Kuami Eugene
• ‘Enjoyment Minister’ – D-Black ft. Quamina MP, Stonebwoy
• ‘Echoke’ – S3fa ft. Mr. Drew
• ‘Sika Aba Fie (remix)’ – Kweku Darlington ft. Kuami Eugene, Kweku Flick, Fameye, Yaw Tog
• ‘Coachella’ – Sarkodie ft. Kwesi Arthur
• ‘Biibi Besi’ – Kwame Yogot ft. Kuami Eugene
• Ote Mimu’ – Ohemaa Mercy ft. MOGMusic

International Collaboration of the Year

• ‘Coming Home’ – MzVee ft. Tiwa Savage
• ‘Forever (remix)’ – Gyakie ft. Omah Lay
• ‘Sore (remix)’ – Yaw Tog ft. Stormzy, Kwesi Arthur
• ‘Sad Girlz Luv Money (remix)’ – Amaarae ft. Moliy, Kali Uchis
• ‘Je M’appelle’ – Darkovibes ft. Davido
• ‘2nd Sermon (remix)’ – Black Sherif ft. Burna Boy
• ‘Spiritual’ – KiDi ft. Kuami Eugene, Patoranking
• ‘Non Living Thing’ – Sarkodie ft. Oxlade

Album/EP of the Year

• ‘No Pressure’ – Sarkodie
• ‘The Golden Boy’ – KiDi
• ‘The Experience’ – Joe Mettle
• ‘Lighthouse’ – Akwaboah
• ‘Loyalty’ – D-Black
• ‘Afro-highlife’ – Kuami Eugene

Video of the Year

• ‘Mon Bebe’ – KiDi (Dir. by Rex)
• ‘Mood’ – Mr Drew (Dir. by Xpress Philms)
• ‘Odeeshie’ – Epixode (Dir. Snaresbeat)
• ‘Sad Girlz Luv Money (remix)’ – Amaarae (Dir. by Remi Laudat)
• ‘Slow Down’ – King Promise (Dir. by Andy Madjitey)
• ‘Rollies and Cigars’ – Sarkodie (Dir. by Yaw Skyface)
• ‘Nyinya’ – Bosom P-Yung (Dir. by Babs)
• ‘Let It Go’ – Kweku Smoke (Dir. by Babs)
• ‘Fine Girl’ – Mona 4 Reall (Dir. by Rex)

Best Highlife Artist

• Cina Soul
• Akwaboah
• Bisa K’dei
• Fameye
• Kuami Eugene
• Kofi Kinaata

Best Hiplife/Hip Hop Artist

• Sarkodie
• Okyeame Kwame
• Black Sherif
• D-Black
• Amerado
• Medikal

Afrobeats/Afropop Artist

• S3fa
• KiDi
• King Promise
• Mr Drew
• Wendy Shay
• Gyakie
• Camidoh
• Darkovibes

Songwriter of the Year

• Minister OJ – ‘Meduru’
• Fameye – ‘Praise’
• Abiana – ‘Bo Noo Ni’
• Kofi Kinaata – ‘Thy Grace (Part 1)’
• Akwaboah – ‘Obiaa’
• Diana Hamilton – ‘Awurade Ye’

Female Vocal Performance of the Year

• Celestine Donkor – ‘Only You’
• ‘Abiana’ – My House
• Esther Godwyl – ‘Faithful God’
• Niiella – ‘Where You Are’
• Efe Grace – ‘Overflow’
• Cina Soul – ‘OMG’

Male Vocal Performance of the Year

• Akwaboah – ‘Ntro Naa’
• Black Sherif – ‘Gold Digga’
• Joe Mettle – ‘Ye Obua Mi’
• KiDi – ‘Bad Things’
• King Promise – ‘Slow Down’
• Kwaisey Pee – ‘Amazing God’
• Luigi Maclean – ‘Mala’

Record of the Year

• ‘Ntro Naa’ – Akwaboah
• ‘Country Hot’ – Afriyie Wutah
• ‘Praise’ – Fameye
• ‘Meduru’ – Minister OJ
• ‘Sad Girlz Luv Money (remix)’ – Amaarae ft Moliy
• ‘Love Locked Down’ – Okyeame Kwame ft. Adina

Best African Artist

• Wizkid
• Fireboy DML
• Ckay
• Tems
• Focalistic
• Joeboy

Best Rap Performance

• ‘Rollies & Cigars’ – Sarkodie
• ‘5th August 5’ – Lyrical Joe
• ‘The Throne’ – Sarkodie
• ‘Wudini Anthem’ – Obibini
• ‘Last Verse’ – Strongman
• ‘Wonteasie’ – TeePhlow

Best New Artist

• Sefa
• Black Sherif
• Scott Evans
• Mona 4Reall
• Kweku Darlington
• Kwame Yogot

Artist of the Year

• King Promisee
• Kuami Eugene
• Sarkodie
• Black Sherif
• KiDi
• Joe Mettle