The organisers of the annual Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) last Saturday unveiled the nominees for this year’s edition of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC).

The nominees’ unveiling ceremony, which attracted a number of music stakeholders including performing artistes and their managers, entertainment journalists, among others, was strictly by invitation.

It witnessed live musical performances from some selected artistes who included Fameye, Strongman, Perez Music, Sefa and a host of others.

The VGMA is being organised to reward deserving artistes for their hard work, dedication and contribution to Ghana’s music industry.

This year, four new categories have been introduced namely, EP of the year, Best Gospel Song of the Year, Vodafone Most Popular Song of the Year and Best Afrobeat/Afropop Artiste of the year.

According to the nominees list, six popular artistes including rapper Sarkodie, highlife artiste, Kuami Eugene, ‘Touch It’ hitmaker, KiDi, gospel maestro, Joe Mettle, afrobeat artiste, King Promise, and ‘Second Sermon’ singer, Black Sherif earned nominations in the Artiste of the Year category.

Some of the artists who were nominated in various categories include Okyeame Kwame, Amerado, Abiana, Celestine Donkor, Scott Evans, Lyrical Joe, Stonebwoy, Wendy Shay and Camidoh.

Others are Darko Vibes, DBlack, Mzvee, Medikal, Kweku Smoke, Fancy Gadam, Dope Nation, Captain Planet, and Kwesi Arthur, among others.

Lynx Entertainment signee and music producer, Nana Dwamena, also known as KiDi, leads the 2023 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) with nine nominations, which include the Artiste of the Year category.

The ‘Mon Bebe’ hitmaker, who had worked hard as a highlife artiste over the years, is the highest nominated artiste followed by the rap king, Sarkodie, with eight nominations, Black Sherif (seven), King Promise (six), Kuami Eugene Okyeame Kwame, Sefa, and Mr. Drew (five), Gyakie, Joe Mettle, Fameya with four nominations each.

This year’s event is proudly brought to you by Vodafone, with support from TV3DSTV, KPMG, and powered by Charterhouse.

See the list of nominees below:

  • Best Highlife Song
    Thy Grace (part 1) – Kofi Kinaata
    Jonathan – AK Songstress
    Obiaa – Akwaboah ft. Cina Soul
    Yard – Bisa Kdei
    Te Na Fie – Kuami Eugene
    Feelings – Cina Soul ft. KiDi
  • Best Hiplife Song
    Yeeko – Okyeame Kwame ft. Kuami Eugene
    No Fugazy – Sarkodie
    Biibi Besi – Kwame Yogot ft. Kuami Eugene
    Accra – Medikal
    Abodie – Captain Planet ft. Kuami Eugene
    Kom – Fancy Gadam
    Zenabu – DopeNation ft. Dancegod Lloyd, Afrobeast, DWP Academy
    S3k3 – Mr Drew
  • Best Afrobeats Song
    Celebrate – Kwesi Arthur ft. Teni
    Dollar On You – Kuami Eugene
    E Choke – S3fa ft. Mr Drew
    Coming Home – MzVee ft. Tiwa Savage
    Sugar Cane – Camidoh ft. Phantom
    Mon Bebe – KiDi
    Je M’appelle – Darko Vibes ft. Davido
  • Best Afropop Song
    Heat – Wendy Shay ft. Shay Gang
    Forever (remix) – Gyakie ft. Omah Lay
    Mood – Mr Drew
    Slow Down – King Promise
    Enjoyment Minister – D-Black ft. Quamina MP, Stonebwoy
    Sad Girlz Luv Money – Amaarae ft. Moliy, Kali Uchis
    Praise – Fameye
  • Best Hiphop Song
    Abotre – Amerado ft. Black Sherif
    Winning – Kwesi Arthur ft. Vic Mensa
    2nd Sermon – Black Sherif
    Coachella – Sarkodie ft. Kwesi Arthur
    Sika Aba Fie – Kweku Darlington ft. Kuami Eugene, Kweku Flick, Yaw Tog, Fameye
    Sore (remix) – Yaw Tog ft. Stormzy, Kwesi Arthur
  • Best Reggae/Dancehall Song
    1 GAD – Stonebwoy
    Touch It – KiDi
    Picture – Samini ft. Efya
    Greedy Men – Stonebwoy
    New Gen – Stonebwoy
    Odeshie – Epixode
  • Collaboration of the Year
    Abodie – Captain Planet ft. Kuami Eugene
    Yeeko – Okyeame Kuami ft. Kuami Eugene
    Enjoyment Minister – D-Black ft. Quamina MP, Stonebwoy
    Echoke – S3fa ft. Mr Drew
    Sika Aba Fie (remix) – Kweku Darlington ft. Kuami Eugene, Kweku Flick, Fameye, Yaw Tog
    Coachella – Sarkodie ft. Kwesi Arthur
    Biibi Besi – Kwame Yogot ft. Kuami Eugene
    Ote Mimu – Ohemaa Mercy ft. MOG
  • International Collaboration of the Year
    Coming Home – MzVee ft. Tiwa Savage
    Forever (remix) – Gyakie ft. Omah Lay
    Sore (remix) – Yaw Tog ft. Stormzy, Kwesi Arthur
    Sad Girlz Luv Money (remix) – Amaarae ft. Moliy, Kali Uchis
    Je M’appelle – Darkovibes ft. Davido
    2nd Sermon (remix) – Black Sherif ft. Burna Boy
    Spiritual – KiDi ft. Kuami Eugene, Patoranking
    Non Living Thing – Sarkodie ft. Oxlade
  • Album/EP of the Year
    No Pressure – Sarkodie
    The Golden Boy – KiDi
    The Experience – Joe Mettle
    Lighthouse – Akwaboah
    Loyalty – D-Black
    Afro-highlife – Kuami Eugene
  • Video of the Year
    Mon Bebe – KiDi (dir. by Rex)
    Mood – Mr Drew (dir. by Xpress Philms)
    Odeeshie – Epixode (dir. Snaresbeat)
    Sad Girlz Luv Money (remix) – Amaarae (dir. by Remi Laudat)
    Slow Down – King Promise (dir. Andy Madjitey)
    Rollies and Cigar – Sarkodie (dir. by Yaw Skyface)
    Nyinya – Bosom P-Yung (dir. by Babs)
    Let It Go – Kweku Smoke (dir. by Babs)
    Fine Girl – Mona 4 Reall (dir. by Rex)
  • Best Highlife Artiste
    Cina Soul
    Akwaboah
    Bisa K’dei
    Fameye
    Kuami Eugene
    Kofi Kinaata
  • Best Hiplife/Hip Hop Artiste
    Sarkodie
    Okyeame Kwame
    Black Sherif
    D-Black
    Amerado
    Medikal
  • Afrobeats/Afropop Artiste
    S3fa
    KiDi
    King Promise
    Mr Drew
    Wendy Shay
    Gyakie
    Camidoh
    Darkovibes
  • Songwriter of the Year
    Minister OJ – Meduru
    Fameye – Praise
    Abiana – Bo NooNi
    Kofi Kinaata – Thy Grace (part 1)
    Akwaboah – Obiaa
    Diana Hamilton – Awurade Ye
  • Female Vocal Performance of the Year
    Celestine Donkor – Only You
    Abiana – My House
    Esther Godwyl – Faithful God
    Niiella – Where You Are
    Efe Grace – Overflow
    Cina Soul – OMG
  • Male Vocal Performance of the Year
    Akwaboah  – Ntro Naa
    Black Sherif – Gold Digga
    Joe Mettle – Ye Obuami
    KiDi – Bad Things
    King Promise – Slow Down
    Kwaisey Pee – Amazing God
    Luigi Maclean – Mala
  • Best African Artiste
    Wizkid
    Fireboy DML
    Ckay
    Tems
    Focalistic and Joeboy