Vodafone Ghana Music Awards 2021 to take place in June

The event is organised by Charterhouse Ghana in partnership with the Musicians Union of Ghana and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. The VGMAs are the most prestigious music awards in Ghana and the 2021 event will mark the platform’s 22nd year in existence.

The development follows an announcement of this year’s nominees. The organisers said they had received over a thousand entries in 29 categories, with more than 100 nominees making the cut.

“The VGMAs maintain a three-tier voting system made up of the board, the academy and the public,” Charterhouse Ghana said. “Honorary Awards are reserved for the board and technical awards are 50% split between the board and the academy. For the public (popular) awards, the board has 30% voting power, the academy has 30% voting power, leaving the public with 40% majority voting power.”

Music released from 1 January to 31 December 2020 in genres like highlife, hiplife, Afropop and traditional music were considered.

Kuami Eugene is the most nominated artist this year with 13 nods, including in the coveted Artist of the Year category, which he won last year. He is followed by Adina with 11 nominations, making her the most nominated female artist in the history of the awards. KiDi secured 10 nominations.

SMS voting can be done via Vodafone only. To vote for their favourite Artist of the Year and Song of the Year, fans can text ‘A’ or ‘B’ to 1767 respectively. For all other categories, fans can text ‘C’ to 1767 and follow the prompts. Voting can also be done free of charge on the VGMAs official website.

Below is the full list of nominees:

Gospel Song of the Year

• ‘Blessed’ – Akesse Brempong ft. Joe Mettle
• ‘Favour Everywhere’ – Celestine ft. Evelyn Wanjiru
• ‘Adom’ – Diana Hamilton
• ‘Jesus Over Do’ – Empress Gifty
• ‘Yesu Mo’ – Joe Mettle
• ‘Jesus’ – MOG Music
• ‘Jejeli’ – KobbySalm ft. Okey Sokay
• ‘Who Say God No Dey’ – Kofi Karikari

Highlife Song of the Year

• ‘Posti Me’ – Akwaboah
• ‘Playboy’ – Dada Hafco ft. Akwaboah
• ‘Enjoyment’ – KiDi
• ‘Behind The Scenes’ – Kofi Kinaata
• ‘Open Gate’ – Kuami Eugene
• ‘Asabone’ – Lord Paper ft. Bosom P-Yung
• ‘Later’ – Mr Drew ft. Kelvyn Boy
• ‘Party’ – Sista Afia ft. Fameye

Hiplife Song of the Year

• ‘Thank God’ – DopeNation ft. Kofi Kinaata
• ‘Enough Is Enough’ – Eno Barony ft. Wendy Shay
• ‘Long Life’ – Fameye ft. Kwesi Arthur
• ‘No Dulling’ – Keche ft. Kuami Eugene
• ‘Dw3 Remix’ – Krymi ft. Drew ft. All-Stars
• ‘Pilolo’ – Strongman ft. Kelvyn Boy
• ‘Happy Day’ – Sarkodie ft. Kuami Eugene
• ‘Ghetto Boy’ – Tulenkey ft. Kelvyn Boy & Medikal

Hip Hop Song of the Year

• ‘Ataa Adwoa’ – Bosom PYung
• ‘Otan Hunu’ – Dead Peepol ft. Rich Kent. Akobam – Joey B ft. Medikal & Kofi Mole
• ‘Ekorso’ – Kofi Jamar ft. Yaw Tog & Ypee
• ‘Money’ – Kweku Flick Live from 233 – Kwesi Arthur
• ‘La Hustle Remix’ – Medikal ft. Joey B & Criss Waddle
• ‘Sore’ – Yaw Tog ft. O’kenneth, City Boy, Reggie, Jay Bahd
• ‘Force Dem To Play Nonsense’ – Eno Barony ft. Sister Derby & Strongman

Reggae/Dancehall Song of the Year

• ‘Why’ – Adina
• ‘Sheriff’ – MzVee
• ‘Forever’ – Samini
• ‘Lonely’ – Jah Lead
• ‘Killy Killy Rmx’ – Larruso ft. Stonebwoy & Kwesi Arthur
• ‘Make Up’ – Kaphun ft. Stonebwoy
• ‘Gye Diee’ – Ras Kuuku ft. MOG Music
• ‘Mi Dey Up Rmx’ – Kofi Jamar ft. Stonebwoy

Afrobeats/Afropop Song of the Year

• ‘Take Care of You’ – Adina ft. Stonebwoy
• ‘Inna Song’ – Darkovibes ft. King Promise
• ‘Forever’ – Gyakie
• ‘Momo’ – KelvynBoy ft. Mugeez & Darkovibes
• ‘Say Cheese’ – KiDi
• ‘Sisa’ – King Promise
• ‘Turn On the Lights’ – Kwesi Arthur
• ‘Let Me Know’ – Mr Drew
• ‘Maria’ – Camidoh
• ‘Emergency’ – Wendy Shay

Afrobeats/Afropop Artist of the Year

• Adina
• Darkovibes
• Camidoh
• KelvynBoy
• KiDi
• King Promise
• Mr. Drew
• Wendy Shay

Unsung Act

• Nanky
• Oseikrom Sikani
• Malcolm Nuna
• Kwame Yogot
• Kobby Tuesday
• Naana Blu
• Adelaide The Seer
• Queendalyn Yurglee

Gospel Artist of the Year

• Akesse Brempong
• Joe Mettle
• Celestine Donkor
• Diana Hamilton
• Empress Gifty
• MOG Music
• Efe Grace
• Eric Jeshrun

Highlife Artist of the Year

• Akwaboah
• Fameye
• Kofi Kinaata
• Kuami Eugene
• Sista Afia
• Dada Hafco

Reggae/Dancehall Artist of the Year

• Epixode
• Samini
• Ras Kuuku
• Kaphun
• Larruso

Best Video of the Year

• ‘Why’ – Adina
• ‘Fancy’ – Amaarae
• ‘Adom’ – Diana Hamilton.
• ‘Cold’ – Joey B
• ‘Open Gate’ – Kuami Eugene
• ‘On the Street’ – Kweku Smoke
• ‘Let Me Know’ – Mr Drew
• ‘Baddest Boss’ – MzVee
• ‘Kpa’ – Okyeame Kwame
• ‘Thomas Pompoyeyaw Rmx’ – Pappy Kojo ft. Busiswa Gqulu

Instrumentalist of the Year

• Joshua Moszi
• Nana Yaw Sarfo Prince
• Sennah Emmanuel
• Bludo Enoch
• Owuraku Kissi

Songwriter of the Year

• Diana Hamilton – ‘Adom’
• Kofi Kinaata – ‘Behind The Scenes’
• Adina – ‘Hyedin’
• Joe Mettle – ‘Yesu Mo’
• Abiana – ‘Adun Lei’
• Epixode – ‘Too Much’

Record of the Year

• ‘Be Your Own Beautiful’ – Adomaa
• ‘Daddy’s Little Girl’ – Adina
• ‘Fancy’ – Amaarae
• ‘Die 4 U’ – Cina Soul
• ‘Too Much’ – Epixode
• ‘Diplomatic Teef’ – Trigmatic
• ‘Commot’ – Worlasi
• ‘Mmusuo’ – YaaYaa

Hiplife/Hip Hop Artist of the Year

• Eno Barony
• Joey B
• Keche
• Kofi Jamar
• Kwesi Arthur
• Medikal
• Sarkodie
• Yaw TOG

Male Vocalist of the Year

• KiDi – ‘One Man’ ft. Adina
• Joe Mettle – ‘Yesu Mo’
• Akwaboah – ‘Posti Me’
• MOG Music – ‘Oguamma’
• Kyei Mensah – ‘Take It All’
• Kingsley Amporful – ‘God’

Best Group of the Year

• Bethel Revival Choir
• DopeNation
• Dead Peepol
• Keche

Best Collaboration of the Year

• ‘Take Care of You’ – Adina ft. Stonebwoy
• ‘Inna Song’ – Darkovibes ft. King Promise
• ‘No Dulling’ – Keche ft. Kuami Eugene
• ‘One Man’ – KiDi ft. Adina
• ‘Ekorso’ – Kofi Jamar ft. Yaw TOG & Ypee
• ‘La Hustle Remix’ – Medikal ft. Joey B & Criss Waddle.
• ‘Happy Day’ – Sarkodie ft. Kuami Eugene
• ‘Sore’ – Yaw TOG ft. O’kenneth, City Boy, Reggie, Jay Bahd

Best Rap Performance

• ‘Best Rapper’ – Amerado
• ‘God Is A Woman’ – Eno Barony
• ‘Cold’ – Joey B
• ‘Stop It’ – Medikal
• ‘Brown Paper Bag’ – Sarkodie ft. M.anifest
• Flawless – Strongman

African Artist of the Year

• Burna Boy
• Davido
• Wizkid
• Master KG
• Fireboy DML
• Omah Lay

International Collaboration of the Year

• ‘Favor Everywhere’ – Celestine Donkor ft. Evelyn Wanjiru
• ‘The One’ – Efya ft Tiwa Savage
• ‘Something Nice’ – Kofi Kinaata ft. Patoranking
• ‘Show Body’ – Kuami Eugene ft. Falz
• ‘Baajo’ – Kwesi Arthur ft. Joeboy
• ‘CEO Flow’ – Sarkodie ft. E-40
• ‘Paper’ – Sista Afia ft Victor AD
• ‘Thomas Pompoyeyaw Rmx’ – Pappy Kojo ft. Busiswa Gqulu

Vodafone Most Popular Song of the Year

• ‘Ataa Adwoa’ – Bosom PYung
• ‘Adom’ – Diana Hamilton
• ‘No Dulling’ – Keche ft. Kuami Eugene
• ‘Enjoyment’ – KiDi
• ‘Sisa’ – King Promise
• ‘Ekorso’ – Kofi Jamar
• ‘Open Gate’ – Kuami Eugene
• ‘La Hustle Remix’ – Medikal
• ‘Happy Day’ – Sarkodie
• ‘Sore’ – Yaw Tog
• ‘Say Cheese’ – KiDi
• ‘Inna Song’ – Darkovibes

Album of the Year

• Araba – Adina
• Kpanlogo – Darkovibes
• Son of Africa – Kuami Eugene
• The Truth – Medikal
• Inveencible – MzVee
• 10 AM – Strongman
• Blackstar – KelvynBoy
• Lava Feels – Joey B

EP of the Year

• Blue – KiDi
• Seed – Gyakie
• Different – GuiltyBeatz
• Mood Swings – Edem
• This Is Not The Tape, Sorry For The Wait II – Kwesi Arthur
• The Truth – Kofi Jamar

Best New Artist of the Year

• Amerado
• Bosom PYung
• Dead Peepol
• Gyakie
• Kofi Jamar
• Kweku Flick
• Larruso
• Mr Drew
• Yaw TOG
• Camidoh

Artist of the Year

• Adina
• KiDi
• Diana Hamilton
• Kuami Eugene
• Medikal
• Sarkodie