Trace Awards & Summit | |
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Current: Trace Awards & Summit 2025 | |
Awarded for | Outstanding Achievement in African and Afro-inspired music and culture |
Country | France |
Presented by | Trace TV |
First awarded | October 21, 2023 |
Website | Official website |
Radio/television coverage | |
Network |
Trace Awards & Summit (also referred to as Trace Awards) is a music awards show established by Trace Group to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the French pay-TV music video television channel Trace TV. With the aim of honoring outstanding achievements in African and Afro-inspired music and culture around the world, the Trace Awards was broadcast live on Trace TV and Trace Africa across 180 countries. The first edition was held in Kigali, Rwanda, on Saturday 21 October 2023 at the BK Arena, Kigali.
The event is composed of performances from African and Afro-origin artists from around the world plus presentations of awards in 26 different categories. The inaugural edition also aired on Kigali Channel 2 (KC2 TV) in Rwanda [1] for local viewing, [2] and the show was also livestreamed on the Trace YouTube channel. [2]
On 20 October 2023, Trace held a press conference at Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village, where the head of the Tourism and Conservation Department of Rwanda, Ariella Kageruka, highlighted the benefits of the award and its impact on the nation. [3] The event was hosted by Nigerian singer D'banj and Angolan model Maria Borges. [4]
In 2025, the Trace Awards are back with a two days summit prior to the Award Ceremony. The Trace Awards will transform Zanzibar into a vibrant epicenter of music, culture, and innovation. Hosted at the luxurious Mora Zanzibar resort, the Awards will showcase 28 categories of the most popular African music genres and artists, with live broadcasts in over 200 countries in English, French, and Portuguese. The event will air across 25 Trace African and international channels, as well as more than 50 terrestrial, satellite, and streaming partners, reaching an estimated audience of at least 500 million fans. The list of nominees will be revealed on December 4th 2024. The public vote for the winners will start on the 18th December 2024
# | Date | Venue | Host city | Host |
---|---|---|---|---|
1st | 21 October 2023 | BK Arena | Kigali, Rwanda | D'banj and Maria Borges |
2nd | 24-26 February 2025 | The Mora | Zanzibar, Tanzania |
The following are the present categories:
Chilu Lemba is a Zambian-born and South African–based award-winning voice over artist, author and musician. His voice is heard across the African continent daily on ads ranging from branding commercials for washing detergents and cellphone networks, to promos for satellite television channels.
Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo, known professionally as D'banj, is a Nigerian singer, rapper and television personality. He signed with American rapper Kanye West's record label GOOD Music to release his 2012 single "Oliver Twist", an uptempo dance fusion of EDM and Afrobeats for which he became best known. With record producer Don Jazzy, he co-founded the record label Mo' Hits Records. His stage name is a combination of his first name, Dapo, and his surname, Oyebanjo.
Bebe Cool is a reggae and ragga musician from Uganda. He started his career around 1997 in Nairobi, Kenya, but moved back to his native country a few years later. Bebe Cool was one of the first artists affiliated with Ogopa DJs, a production house and record label in Kenya.
The MTV Africa Music Awards were established in 2008 by MTV Networks Africa to celebrate the most popular contemporary music in Africa. The 2008 and 2010 events took place in Nigeria, first in Abuja and then in Lagos. The 2009 event happened in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya each of the premiere awards were created and executive produced by Alex Okosi and Jandre Louw.
Channel O Africa Music Video Awards, once known as Spirit of Africa Music Video Awards, are Pan-African music awards organised by South Africa -based Channel O television channel. The awards were first held in 2003 under the name Reel Music Video Awards. Since 2005 the awards have been held annually. The winners are voted by Channel O's viewers across the continent.
The Nigerian Entertainment Awards were established in New York City in January 2006. The awards recognize the contributions of African entertainers with a special focus on Nigerians.
Thomas Muyombo, also known as Tom Close, is a Ugandan-born, Rwandan-based musician, and physician. A ChimpReports reviewer in 2013 described him as "the king of Afrobeat and dancehall" in Rwanda.
Mani Martin is a Rwandan singer, songwriter, actor and performing artist. He has won numerous awards. His unique musical sound that reflects the Afro-fusion, urban and traditional sounds has received National & international attention hence being described by "Rwanda Spectrum Magazine" as one of the best live music performing artists of the Rwandan music scene. Mani sings in Kinyarwanda, Kiswahili, English and French.
"Mr Endowed" is a song by Nigerian singer D'banj, released on May 23, 2010. Produced by Don Jazzy, it was included in the track listing for Mr. Endowed, an album that was never released due to D'banj's exit from Mo' Hits Records. The song was reportedly recorded after D'banj signed a recording contract with Kanye West's GOOD Music. In an interview with April Woodard of BET, D'banj confirmed the rumours about the aforementioned contract.
"Fall in Love" is a song by Nigerian singer and harmonica player D'banj. It serves as a single from his third studio album, The Entertainer (2008), and was produced by Don Jazzy. According to the website Africa Review, it earned D'banj national stardom in Nigeria. "Fall in Love" was nominated for Song of the Year at The Headies 2009. The music video for the song won Most Gifted Afro Pop Video at the 2010 Channel O Music Video Awards. Moreover, the video was nominated in the Best Male Music Video of the Year category at the 2010 Nigeria Entertainment Awards.
Vanessa Hau Mdee, is a Tanzanian singer, rapper, television personality and radio host. Mdee is popularly known for being the first ever Tanzanian MTV VJ. She later rose to prominence as a radio and TV host, hosting Epic Bongo Star Search and Dume Challenge for ITV Tanzania before signing to B'Hits Music Group in late 2012.
The MTV Africa Music Awards 2014 took place on 7 June 2014, at the Durban International Convention Centre. The awards aired live across Africa on MTV Base and MTV. The ceremony was sponsored by KwaZulu-Natal Province, Absolut and the City of Durban. The show was hosted by American comedian and actor Marlon Wayans. The ceremony featured performances from artists such as Miguel, Trey Songz, Flavour N'abania, French Montana, Tiwa Savage, Davido, Mafikizolo, Uhuru, Oskido, Professor, Diamond Platnumz, Phyno, Yuri da Cunha, Sauti Sol, Sarkodie, Ice Prince, The Arrows, Khuli Chana, Dr SID, Fally Ipupa, Michael Lowman, Don Jazzy, DJ Clock, Beatenberg, DJ Kent, Big Nuz, Toofan, D'Banj, DJ Vigi, DJ Tira, DJ Buckz, and Burna Boy. On 27 May 2014, the nominees for the MTV Base Leadership Award were announced. On 28 May, MTV Base revealed Drake, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Pharrell Williams, and Miley Cyrus as the nominees for the Best International Act category. Davido and Mafikizolo received the most nominations with four each. Mi Casa and P-Square received three nominations. Diamond Platnumz and Wizkid were nominated twice for both Best Male and Best Collaboration.
The Rwanda Basketball League (RBL) (formerly the National Basketball League Rwanda) is the top professional basketball league in Rwanda. Its season usually runs from November to September. The winners of the NBL season qualify for the qualifiers for the Basketball Africa League (BAL).
Trace Africa is an Afro-pop music channel dedicated to airing Africa's top music artists. Trace Africa, Africa’s number one music channel, is dedicated to playing and showcasing music of Africa’s top artists and genres including Afro-pop, coupé-décalé, Kwaito house, Afro-trap, makossa, and ndombolo through radio and live concert events. Trace Africa is a smaller section of the larger Trace brand, a company dedicated to spreading music, news and culture throughout the African Diaspora. Trace Africa premiered on DStv, on 1 September 2016 as a replacement to Trace Sports Stars through the continent and as of 2017 is also now on StarSat
BK Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Kigali, Rwanda, used mostly for basketball and volleyball matches. Built and finished in 2019, it hosts sporting events and concerts. It is the biggest indoor arena in East Africa and is located next to the Amahoro Stadium.
The 2021 BAL season, also known as BAL Season 1, was the inaugural season of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). Established as a joint effort between the National Basketball Association (NBA) and FIBA, the BAL is the highest tier continental league of Africa, replacing the FIBA Africa Basketball League. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the BAL held its inaugural season one year later as planned, with the season beginning in 2021. Initially the league planned to play in six venues in six countries; however, due to the pandemic the season was held in a bio-secure bubble in Kigali, Rwanda. The season began on 16 May 2021 and ended on 30 May 2021.
Itahiwacu Bruce, commonly known as Bruce Melodie aka Munyakazi is a Rwandan singer and a winner of Primus Guma Guma Super Star seasons 8 (PGGSS).
To celebrate 20 years of promoting and supporting African and Afro-inspired music, Trace staged the 1st Trace Awards & Festival at the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda on 21 October 2023. The show was televised live to 350 million viewers and music fans around the world on Trace channels in 180 countries.