DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — African music stars walked the red carpet this past weekend at the annual All Africa Music Awards, celebrating the continent’s hottest talent.
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — African music stars walked the red carpet this past weekend at the annual All Africa Music Awards, celebrating the continent’s hottest talent.
The four-day gala concluded on Sunday evening with an award ceremony in the outskirts of Senegalese capital, Dakar, and included performances by some of Africa’s most famous musicians such as B Square from Nigeria, Tiwa Savage, Rukia Kony from Mali, a Senegalese singer. Yosu in the role and baba money.
Ivorian singer Didi B won Song of the Year for his rap song “Tala”. He went on stage in front of a wild crowd, thanked his colleagues and announced that this was his first award of the year.
“I dedicate it to my mom and my fans,” said the Ivorian rapper, singer, and songwriter.
“Tala” – the Ivorian slang used to describe a type of dance – was viewed nearly 6.5 million times in seven months on YouTube and performed in nightclubs across the continent.
This was the eighth edition of AFRIMA and the first to be held in a francophone country. Nigeria has hosted most of the events, the latest being in Lagos in 2021, where Malian singer Ibrahim Mohamedou Fili Sissoko, better known as Iba One, won Best Album. This year, One won Best Songwriter.
Other popular singers took home awards on Sunday, including Nigerian Afrobeat star Burna Boy who won Best Acting in Africa. Another Nigerian, Asake, won Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Wizkid won Best Work in West Africa.
Organizers say AFRIMA aims to connect African musicians to global markets while embracing the continent’s cultural diversity and heritage.
“This is an exciting time in African music and we are proud of how these artists have managed to penetrate so many markets both locally and globally,” said Mike Dada, Executive Director of the event.
More than 9,000 entries were submitted for this year’s competition, the highest since its inception in 2014. The winners topped out over 380 entries in 39 categories representing five regions of Africa as well as the diaspora.
Babiker Dion, Associated Press
