Voting opens for Kora Awards 2024

Twenty categories currently bear 40 nominees from Africa and the diaspora each, who will be halved to 20 after a round of public voting.

“Help shape the Top 40 by voting for your favourite artists who deserve to be part of the Top 20 starting on 1 March 2024 – who has captured your ears and conquered your hearts this year?” the Kora Awards said on social media. Fans can vote for their favourite artists here.

The Kora Awards were founded in 1994 to celebrate musical achievements in sub-Saharan Africa, and are named after the kora, a traditional West African chordophone.

Since their inception, the awards have been staged 11 times – nine years in South Africa between 1996 and 2005 as well as in Burkina Faso (2010) and Ivory Coast (2012). However, they have been subject to several postponements and cancellations for reasons ranging from contractual breaches to lack of funding.

The Kora Awards were last held in 2012 and were earmarked to return in December 2015 in Namibia before they were postponed to March 2016. The event was eventually cancelled. A 2016 Music In Africa investigation into what may have led to the cancellation in Namibia painted a picture of confusion and secrecy, with reasons provided by the organisers, led by controversial Beninese businessman Ernest Adjovi, largely unconvincing.

Should the 2024 edition be held successfully, it will mark a significant return of what was once one of the continent’s most respected music award platforms.

Artists who have earned top-40 nods include notable Nigerian acts Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy and Tiwa Savage as well as Libianca (Cameroon), Joshua Baraka (Uganda), Boutross (Kenya), Mafikizolo, (South Africa) and Black Sherif (Ghana).