Six African acts nominated for 2018 MTV EMAs

All six are nominated in the Best African Act category and include Tiwa Savage (Nigeria), Distruction Boyz (South Africa), Fally Ipupa (DRC) and Shekhinah (South Africa), Nyashinski (Kenya) and Davido (Nigeria).

The EMAs, which are produced by Viacom International Media Networks, will be aired live on MTV (DStv channel 130) at 9pm CAT. The official sponsor of the event is SKYY Vodka.

“Once again, the 2018 MTV EMAs features Africa’s most celebrated entertainers who have the opportunity to showcase their talent through the MTV EMA Best African Act category at the annual awards,” Viacom International Media Networks Africa vice-president Monde Twala said.

“Our nominees reflect the continent's diversity and talent on par with international artists. Congratulations to all our Africa nominees, who continue to affirm Africa’s place on the global stage.”  

Nyashinski told Music In Africa that his MTV EMA nomination would help Kenyan music reach bigger audiences.

“I am humbled and elated to be nominated for a second year running," he said. "An MTV nomination in itself is a huge achievement. It increases the exposure of my work beyond to audiences that may never have heard of me. With that, it opens up Kenya more, as more people start taking notice of music by other Kenyan artists. Even if it was someone else form Kenya being nominated, it would mean a lot for the country in terms of exposure."

And Nyashinski is optimistic that more East African acts will be nominated at the MTV EMAs in the future.

"It's a tough balance between trying to make music that feeds onto the global stage while ensuring you maintain your musical persona as an artist," he said. "You'd rather gradually feed the global audience with your own unique style than force some other style that you can't maintain. But we will get there, especially when we put more effort into marketing in this digital age."

Outside the Best African Act category, Cuban-American singer Camila Cabello leads the EMAs with six nominations in the Best Song, Best Video, Best Artist, Best Pop, Biggest Fans and Best US Act categories.   

You can vote for your favourite African act here. 

Below is the MTV EMAs full list of nominees:

Best African Act

• Davido (Nigeria)
• Distruction Boyz (South Africa)
• Fally Ipupa (DRC)
• Nyashinski (Kenya)
• Shekinah (South Africa)
• Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)

Best Artist

• Ariana Grande
• Camila Cabello
• Drake
• Dua Lipa
• Post Malone

Best Video

• Ariana Grande – ‘No Tears Left to Cry’ 
• Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug –  ‘Havana’
• Childish Gambino – ‘This Is America’
• Lil Dicky ft. Chris Brown – ‘Freaky Friday’
• The Carters – ‘APES**T’

Best Song

• Ariana Grande – ‘No Tears Left To Cry’
• Bebe Rexha ft. Florida Georgia Line – ‘Meant To Be’
• Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – ‘Havana’
• Drake – ‘God's Plan’
• Post Malone ft. 21 Savage – Rockstar

Best Pop

• Ariana Grande
• Camila Cabello
• Dua Lipa
• Hailee Steinfeld
• Shawn Mendes

Best New

• Anne-Marie
• Bazzi
• Cardi B
• Hayley Kiyoko
• Jessie Reyez

Best Look

• Cardi B
• Dua Lipa
• Migos
• Nicki Minaj
• Post Malone

Best Hip Hop

• Drake
• Eminem
• Migos
• Nicki Minaj
• Travis Scott

Best Live

• Ed Sheeran
• Muse
• Pink
• Shawn Mendes
• The Carters

Best Rock

• 5 Seconds of Summer
• Foo Fighters
• Imagine Dragons
• Muse
• U2

Best Alternative

• Fall Out Boy
• Panic! At The Disco
• The 1975
• Thirty Seconds to Mars
• Twenty One Pilots

Best Electronic

• Calvin Harris
• David Guetta
• Marshmello
• Martin Garrix
• The Chainsmokers

Biggest Fans

• BTS
• Camila Cabello
• Selena Gomez
• Shawn Mendes
• Taylor Swift

Best World Stage

• Clean Bandit – MTV Crashes Plymouth (UK 2017)
• Charli XCX – MTV Crashes Plymouth (UK 2017)
• David Guetta – Trafalgar Square (UK 2017)
• Jason Derulo – Isle of MTV (Malta 2018)
• Post Malone – Wireless Festival (UK 2018)
• Migos –  Wireless Festival (UK 2018)
• J Cole – Wireless Festival (UK 2018)
• Nick Jonas – MTV Spotlight at Hyperplay (Singapore 2018)
• Alessia Cara – MTV Spotlight at Hyperplay (Singapore 2018)

Best Push

• PRETTYMUCH (October 2017)
• Why Don't We (November 2017)
• Grace VanderWaal (December 2017)
• Bishop Briggs (January 2018)
• Superorganism (February 2018)
• Jessie Reyez (March 2018)
• Hayley Kiyoko (April 2018)
• Lil Xan (May 2018)
• Sigrid (June 2018)
• Bazzi (August 2018)
• Chloe x Halle (July 2018)
• Jorja Smith (September)

Best US Act

• Ariana Grande
• Camila Cabello
• Cardi B
• Imagine Dragons
• Post Malone