Vodafone Ghana Music Awards 2023: All the winners

Now in its 24th edition, the ceremony is the biggest event on the Ghanaian music calendar, recognising exceptional artistic feats across various genres such as highlife, hiplife, Afropop and gospel.

Black Sherif, King Promise and Sarkodie headed into the 2023 VGMAs as the most nominated acts with 15, 14 and 10 nods, respectively. By the eve of the awards, Black Sherif and gospel singer Piesie Esther had emerged as the forerunners in the Artist of the Year race, dominating discussions among industry watchers and fans alike. Other nominees in the coveted category include Stonebwoy, Sarkodie, King Promise, Camidoh, Joe Mettle and last year’s winner KiDi.

The bulk of the awards were handed out during the main ceremony. Days prior, burgeoning reggae-dancehall artist DSL was named as the winner for the Unsung category, his victory guaranteeing him a performance slot at the VGMAs awards night.

Piesie Esther opened the show, serving a live rendition of her hit 'Waye Me Yie' alongside a number of fellow gospel stars. The track would go on to win Best Gospel Song, powering her to success in the Gospel Artist of the Year category, too. Other big performances came from KiDi, Epixode, Lasmid, Black Sherif, Gyakie, King Promise and Sarkodie.

Black Sherif, the night's biggest winner, converted five of his nominations into victories, sweeping the gongs for Best Hip Hop Song, Collaboration of the Year, Best Music Video, Most Popular Song of the Year and the ultimate award on the night.

Below is the full list of winners:

Best Gospel Song of the Year

• Final Say – Celestine Donkor
• Waye Me Yie – Piesie Esther
• My Meditation – Diana Hamilton
• Kadosh – Joe Mettle
• Hewale Lala – Perez Musik
• Tegbe Tegbe – Bethel Revival Choir ft Edwin Dadson
• This Far – Ewura Abena
• Mala – MOG Music

Best Male Vocal Performance

• Camidoh
• Kyei Mensah
• Perez Musik
• Stonebwoy
• King Promise

Best Female Vocal Performance

• Piesie Esther
• Niella
• Enuonyam
• Cina Soul
• Abiana
• Adomaa

Best Hiplife Song

• Lasmid – Friday Night
• Medikal – Stubborn Academy
• Jay Bahd – Anadwo
• DJ Breezy – Abonten ft. Kwesi Arthur, Mugeez, Stonebwoy, Black Sherif & Smallgod
• Amerado – Grace ft. Lasmid
• Kweku Flick – Ewiase

Unsung Artist of the Year

• Ni Ashun
• Aya Ramzy
• DSL
• TsaQa
• Maya Blu
• Boi Jake

Best Hip Hop Song

• Black Sherif – Kweku the Traveler
• Amerado – Obiaa Boa
• Sarkodie – Country Side ft. Black Sherif
• Malcolm Nuna – Benzo
• Kwesi Arthur – Drama
• Medikal – Scarface

Collaboration of the Year

• FBS – Jo ft. Mr Drew
• Sarkodie – Country Side ft. Black Sherif
• Epixode – Atiaa ft. Kwabena Kwabena
• Amerado – Grace ft. Lasmid
• DJ Breezy – Abonten ft. Kwesi Arthur, Mugeez, Stonebwoy, Black Sherif & Smallgod
• Bethel Revival Choir ft. Edwin Dadson – Tegbe Tegbe
• Sarkodie – Labadi ft. King Promise

International Collaboration of the Year

• Camidoh – Sugarcane (Remix) ft. King Promise & Mayorkun
• KiDi – Touch It ft. Tyga
• King Promise – Ten Toes ft. Omah Lay
• KiDi – Blessed ft. Mavado
• MzVee – Dumebi ft. Yemi Alade
• King Promise – Run to You ft. Chance the Rapper & Vic Mensa
• Sarkodie – Better Days ft. Bnxn

Best Afropop Song

• Stonebwoy – Therapy
• Wendy Shay – Survivor
• Black Sherif – Oil in y Had
• DopeNation – Gboza
• King Promise – Ten Toes ft. Omah Lay
• Kuami Eugene – Takeaway
• KiDi – Blessed ft. Movado
• Fameye – Thank You

Producer of the Year

• MOG Beatz
• A-Town
• Phantom
• Shadrach Yawson
• Guilty Beatz
• Kill Beatz
• Liquid Beatz
• Samnsey

Best Afrobeats Song

• Camidoh – Sugarcane (Remix) ft. King Promise & Mayorkun
• Gyakie – Something
• KiDi – Champagne
• Djay – Balance It
• King Promise – Ginger
• FBS – Jo ft. Mr Drew

Best Reggae/Dancehall Song

• Konkara Jahvybz – A Go dey ft. Kelvyn Boy
• Ras Kuuku – 33N1
• Epixode – Atia
• Black Sherif – Don’t Forget Me
• Rocky Dawuni – Never Bow Down ft. Blvk H3ro
• Maccasio – Eyes on You ft. Stonebwoy

Best Music Video

• Black Sherif – Konogo Zongo
• Stonebwoy – Therapy
• Piesie Esther – Waye me Yie
• Stonebwoy – Gidigba
• Sarkodie – Labadi ft. King Promise
• KiDi – Touch it (Remix) ft. Tyga
• Scott Evans – Best Side
• Kwabena Kwabena – Afraid to Lose You

Best African Artist

• Arya Star
• Burna Boy
• Asake
• Kizz Daniel
• Libianca
• The Therapist

Best Highlife Song

• Epixode – Atia ft. Kwabena Kwabena
• AK Songstress – My Proposal
• Adina – Adi Dede
• Kwesi Arthur – Adom
• Kelvyn Boy – Down Flat
• Kofi Kinaata – Have Mercy

Best Afrobeats/Afropop Artist

• Camidoh
• King Promise
• Gyakie
• KiDi
• Wendy Shay
• Kelvyn Boy

Songwriter of the Year

• Piesie Esther – Waye me Yie
• Black Sherif – Oh Paradise
• Perez Musik – Hewale Lala
• Fameye – Thank You
• Diana Hamilton – My Meditation
• Ewurabena – This Far

Best Highlife Artist

• Kofi Kinaata
• Akwaboa
• Kuami Eugene
• Abiana

Best Gospel Artist

• Piesie Esther
• Joe Mettle
• Perez Musik
• Diana Hamilton
• Celestine Donkor
• MOG Music

Best Hiplife/Hip Hop Artist

• Black Sherif
• Sarkodie
• Kwesi Arthur
• Medikal
• Amerado
• Strongman

Best Reggae/Dancehall Artist

• Ras Kuuku
• Epixode
• Rocky Dawuni
• Stonebwoy
• Samini

Best Rap Performance

• Medikal – Scarface
• Strongman – Goated
• Amerado – Obiaa Boa
• Lyrical Joe – 5th August 6
• Teephlow – 6feet

Record of the Year

• King Promise – Yaa Asantewaa ft. Frenna
• Adomaa – Beginning Again
• Perez Musik – Hewale Lala
• Stonebwoy – Therapy
• Sarkodie – Country Side ft. Black Sherif
• Gyakie – Far Away

Audio Engineer of the Year

• Chopz – Yaa Asantewaa
• Qube – Beginning Again
• Perez Musik – Hewale lala
• Supa Dups – Therapy
• Possigee – Country Side
• Altra Nova – Far Away

Best New Artist

• Lasmid
• Djay
• Malcolm Nuna
• Jay Bhad
• Ewuraabena
• DJ Azonto
• Chief One

Album of the Year

• Black Sherif – The Villain I Never Was
• Sarkodie – Jamz
• Gyakie – My Diary
• King Promise – 5 Star
• Kwesi Arthur – Son of Jacob
• Joe Mettle – The Kadosh

Most Popular Song of the Year

• Camidoh – Sugarcane (Remix) ft. King Promise & Mayokun
• Sarkodie – Country Side ft. Black Sherif
• Black Sherif – Kweku The Traveller
• Lasmid – Friday Night
• Kelvyn Boy – Down Flat
• Gyakie – Something
• Wendy Shay – Survivor
• KiDi – Blessed ft. Mavado
• Stonebwoy – Therapy
• Piesie Esther – Waye Me Yie

Artist of the Year

• Black Sherif
• Stonebwoy
• Sarkodie
• King Promise
• Camidoh
• KiDi
• Piesie Esther
• Joe Mettle

Vodafone Green Award

• Worlasi

Lifetime Achievement Award

• Kofi Sammy