Trace Awards 2023: Davido, Burna Boy, and Rema, Win Big

Sunday, October 22, 2023

Kigali, Rwanda | THE BLACK EXAMINER | Nigerian music sensations Rema, Yemi Alade, and Davido secured victories at the 2023 Trace Awards in Kigali, Rwanda on Saturday.

Divine Ikubor, widely known as Rema, continued his winning streak, earning two accolades at the event. He claimed the Song of the Year award for his global hit, ‘Calm Down,’ and the Best Global African Artist award. Remarkably, Rema tied in the latter category with South African artist and songwriter, Nomcebo Zikode. Notably, Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ remix with Selena Gomez reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, adding to his growing list of achievements.

Davido, Nigeria’s most followed figure on Instagram, also shone at the awards, securing two titles: Best Male and Best Collaboration for his chart-topping song, “Unavailable,” featuring Musa Keys.

Burna Boy clinched the Album of the Year award for ‘Love Damini,’ and Yemi Alade, a prominent female artist, was honored with the Video of the Year award. Kel P was recognized as the Best Producer of the year, and the legendary artist TuFace received the prestigious Life Achievement Award.

This year’s Trace Awards featured over 150 nominated artists, celebrating the diversity and excellence of Afro-centric music in a wide array of genres, including Afrobeat, Dancehall, Hip Hop, Afro-pop, and many more.

The star-studded ceremony was hosted by Nigerian music veteran Dapo Oyebanji, popularly known as D’Banj, and Angolan global supermodel Maria Borges. The event showcased an array of stellar performances by artists like Davido, Yemi Alade, Black Sherif, Kizz Daniel, and more.

The Trace Awards featured approximately 50 performances by African and Afro-inspired artists from around the world, highlighting the global influence of African music.

In addition to the competitive categories, the awards also included special recognitions, such as a lifetime achievement award presented to 2Face and a Change Maker award bestowed upon Mr Eazi from Nigeria.

The Trace Awards represent a new awards franchise established by Trace, a global TV and multimedia platform, with the aim of acknowledging and celebrating African and Afro-influenced musicians from Africa and the African diasporas.

Winners at the 2023 Trace Awards in Kigali, Rwanda, included Nigerian music superstars Rema, Yemi Alade, and Davido. Here’s a summary of the key winners and categories:

Award CategoryWinnerAdditional Information
Song of the Year“Calm Down” – RemaRema’s global hit song
Album of the Year“Love Damini” – Burna BoyRecognizing Burna Boy’s album
Best Music Video“Baddie” – Yemi AladeHonoring Yemi Alade’s music video
Best MaleDavidoRecognizing Davido as the best male artist
Best FemaleViviane Chidid (Senegal)Awarding Viviane Chidid as the best female artist
Best Collaboration“Unavailable” – Davido (Nigeria) with Musa Keys (South Africa)Recognizing their collaboration
Best NewcomerRoseline Layo (Ivory Coast)Highlighting the best newcomer
Best DJMichael Brun (Haiti)Honoring the best DJ
Best ProducerTam Sir (Ivory Coast)Recognizing the best music producer
Best Gospel ArtistKS Bloom (Ivory Coast)Celebrating the best gospel artist
Best LiveFally Ipupa (DRC)Recognizing excellence in live performances
Best DancerRobot Boii (South Africa)Honoring the best dancer
Best Artist Africa – AnglophoneAsake (Nigeria)Recognizing the best Anglophone artist in Africa
Best Artist Africa – FrancophoneDidi B (Ivory Coast)Celebrating the best Francophone artist in Africa
Best Artist Africa – LusophoneLisandro Cuxi (Cape Verde)Recognizing the best Lusophone artist in Africa
Best Artist – RwandaBruce Melodie (Rwanda)Highlighting the best artist from Rwanda
Best Artist – East AfricaDiamond Platnumz (Tanzania)Recognizing the best artist from East Africa
Best Artist – France & BelgiumTayc (France)Celebrating the best artist from France and Belgium
Best Artist – UKCentral Cee (UK)Honoring the best artist from the UK
Best Artist – The CaribbeanRutshelle Guillaume (Haiti)Recognizing the best artist from the Caribbean
Best Artist – Indian OceanGoulam (Comoros)Highlighting the best artist from the Indian Ocean
Best Artist – BrazilLudmilla (Brazil)Recognizing the best artist from Brazil
Best Artist – North AfricaDystinct (Morocco)Celebrating the best artist from North Africa

The Trace Awards showcased the excellence and diversity of Afro-centric music, spanning various genres, including Afrobeat, Dancehall, Hip Hop, Afro-pop, and many more. The event featured a star-studded lineup of performers and aimed to recognize African and Afro-influenced musicians from Africa and the African diasporas.

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