A celebration of African and Afro-inspired music took center stage at the inaugural Trace Awards 2023, where talents like Rema, Yemi Alade, Tayc, Davido, and Asake emerged as the night’s big winners.
The Trace Awards, held for the first time in 2023, graced the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, on October 21, in an extravagant display of African music excellence.
The ceremony featured over 150 nominees spanning an array of music genres, including Afrobeat, Dancehall, Hip Hop, Afro-pop, Mbalax, Amapiano, Zouk, Kizomba, Genge, Coupé Décalé, Bongo Flava, Soukous, Gospel, Rap, Rai, Kompa, R&B, and Rumba.
It was a dynamic showcase of the diverse musical flavors of the continent.
Nigerian music legend D’Banj and Angolan global supermodel Maria Borges jointly hosted the event, setting the stage for stellar performances by iconic artists like Davido, Yemi Alade, Black Sherif, Kizz Daniel, and more.
The list of winners at the Trace Awards 2023 includes:
Best Music Video – “Baddie” by Yemi Alade (Nigeria)
Best Artist France & Belgium – Tayc (France)
Best Producer – Tam Sir (Ivory Coast)
Best Artist North Africa – Dystinct (Morocco)
Best Artist UK – Central Cee
Best Artist Indian Ocean – Goulam (Comoros)
Best Artist Francophone Africa – Didi B (Ivory Coast)
Best DJ – Michael Brun (Haiti)
Best Gospel Artist – KS Bloom (Ivory Coast)
Best Artist The Caribbean – Rutshelle Guillaume (Haiti)
Best Artist Anglophone Africa – Asake (Nigeria)
Best Global African Artist – Rema
Best Newcomer – Roseline Layo (Ivory Coast)
Best Collaboration – “Unavailable” – Davido (Nigeria) with Musa Keys (South Africa)
Best Dancer – Robot Boii (South Africa)
For the award recipients, this was a moment of immense joy and recognition.
They took the stage to express their heartfelt gratitude to their dedicated fans and the teams that have supported them through the challenges and triumphs of the past year.
