Trace Awards 2023: Full Winners List

Global music powerhouse and Afro-music tastemaker, Trace staged the first ever Trace Awards to mark its 20th anniversary, and celebrate the creativity, talent and influence of African and Afro-inspired music and artists.

The Awards showcased the excellence and diversity of Afro-centric music in genres such as Afrobeat, Dancehall, Hip Hop, Afro-pop, Mbalax, Amapiano, Zouk, Kizomba, Genge, Coupé Décalé, Bongo Flava, Soukous, Gospel, Rap, Rai, Kompa, R&B, and Rumba.

Full list of winners:

Album of the Year

DNK – Aya Nakamura (France)

WINNER: Love Damini – Burna Boy (Nigeria)

Maverick – Kizz Daniel (Nigeria)

More Love, Less Ego – Wizkid (Nigeria)

Timeless – Davido (Nigeria)

Work of Art – Asake (Nigeria)

Song of the Year

“BKBN” – Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)

“People” – Libianca (Cameroon)

“Suavemente” – Soolking (France)

“Encre” – Emma’a (Gabon)

“Sugarcane” – Camidoh (Ghana)

“Last Last” – Burna Boy (Nigeria)

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“Rush” – Ayra Starr (Nigeria)

WINNER: “Calm Down” – Rema (Nigeria)

“Peru” – Fireboy DML (Nigeria) with Ed Sheeran (UK)

“Sete” – K.O (South Africa)

“Cough” – Kizz Daniel (Nigeria)

“MORTEL 06” – Innoss’B (DRC)

Best Music Video

“2 Sugar” – Wizkid (Nigeria) feat. Ayra Starr (Nigeria)

WINNER: “Baddie” – Yemi Alade (Nigeria)

“Kpaflotage” – Suspect 95 (Ivory Coast)

“Loaded” – Tiwa Savage (Nigeria) & Asake (Nigeria)

“Ronda” – Blxckie (South Africa)

“Tombolo” – Kalash (Martinique)

Yatapita” – Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)

Best Male

Asake (Nigeria)

Burna Boy (Nigeria)

WINNER: Davido (Nigeria)

Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)

Didi B (Ivory Coast)

K.O (South Africa)

Rema (Nigeria)

Best Female

Ayra Starr (Nigeria)

Josey (Ivory Coast)

Nadia Mukami (Kenya)

Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)

Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)

WINNER: Viviane Chidid (Senegal)

Best Collaboration

“Many Ways” – BNXN (Nigeria) with Wizkid (Nigeria)

“Mine” – Show Dem Camp (Nigeria) with Oxlade (Nigeria)

“Peru” – Fireboy DML (Nigeria) with Ed Sheeran (UK)

“Second Sermon” – Black Sherif (Ghana) with Burna Boy (Nigeria)

“Sete” – K.O (South Africa) with Young Stunna (South Africa), Blxckie (South Africa)

“Stamina” – Tiwa Savage with Ayra Starr (Nigeria) & Young Jonn (Nigeria)

“Trumpet” – Olamide (Nigeria) with Ckay (Nigeria)

WINNER: “Unavailable” – Davido (Nigeria) with Musa Keys (South Africa)

Best Newcomer

Azawi (Uganda)

Krys M (Cameroon)

Libianca (Cameroon)

Nissi (Nigeria)

Odumodublvck (Nigeria)

Pabi Cooper (South Africa)

WINNER: Roseline Layo (Ivory Coast)

Best DJ

Danni Gato (Cape Verde)

DJ BDK (Ivory Coast)

DJ Illans (France)

DJ Spinall (Nigeria)

WINNER: Michael Brun (Haiti)

Uncle Waffles (Swaziland)

Best Producer

DJ Maphorisa (South Africa)

Juls (Ghana)

Kabza de Small (South Africa)

Kel-P (Nigeria)

WINNER: Tam Sir (Ivory Coast)

Best Gospel Artist

Benjamin Dube (South Africa)

Janet Otieno (Kenya)

WINNER: KS Bloom (Ivory Coast)

Levixone (Uganda)

Moses Bliss (Nigeria)

Best Live

Burna Boy (Nigeria)

WINNER: Fally Ipupa (DRC)

Musa Keys (South Africa)

The Compozers (Ghana)

Wizkid (Nigeria)

Yemi Alade (Nigeria)

Best Dancer

WINNER: Robot Boii (South Africa)

Tayc (France)

Uganda Ghetto Kids (Uganda)

Yemi Alade (Nigeria)

Zuchu (Tanzania)

Best Artist Africa – Anglophone

WINNER: Asake (Nigeria)

Ayra Starr (Nigeria)

Black Sherif (Ghana)

Davido (Nigeria)

Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)

Fireboy DML (Nigeria)

Best Artist Africa – Francophone

WINNER: Didi B (Ivory Coast)

Emma’a (Gabon)

Fally Ipupa (DRC)

KO-C (Cameroon)

Locko (Cameroon)

Serge Beynaud (Ivory Coast)

Viviane Chidid (Senegal)

Best Artist Africa – Lusophone

Gerilson Insrael (Angola)

WINNER: Lisandro Cuxi (Cape Verde)

Perola (Angola)

Plutonio (Mozambique)

Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)

Best Artist – Rwanda

Ariel Wayz (Rwanda)

WINNER: Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)

Bwiza (Rwanda)

Chriss Eazy (Rwanda)

Kenny Sol (Rwanda)

Best Artist – East Africa

Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)

WINNER: Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)

Zuchu (Tanzania)

Khaligraph (Kenya)

Nadia Mukani (Kenya)

Azawi (Uganda)

Best Artist – France & Belgium

Aya Nakamura (France)

Booba (France)

Nihno (France)

Ronisia (France)

Soolking (France)

WINNER: Tayc (France)

Best Artist – UK

WINNER: Central Cee (UK)

Headie One (UK)

Ms Banks (UK)

Raye (UK)

Stormzy (UK)

Best Artist – The Caribbean

Admiral T (Guadeloupe)

Bamby (French Guiana)

Kalash (Martinique)

Maureen (Martinique)

Popcaan (Jamaica)

Princess Lover (Martinique)

WINNER: Rutshelle Guillaume (Haiti)

Shenseea (Jamaica)

Best Artist – Indian Ocean

Donovan BTS (Mauritius)

GaEi (Madagascar)

WINNER: Goulam (Comoros)

Mik’l (Reunion)

Sega el (Reunion)

Terrell Elymoor (Mayotte)

Best Artist – Brazil

Djonga (Brazil)

Iza (Brazil)

Leo Santana (Brazil)

WINNER: Ludmilla (Brazil)

Luedji Luna (Brazil)

Best Artist – North Africa

Amira Zouhair (Morocco)

Artmasta (Tunisia)

WINNER: Dystinct (Morocco)

El Grande Toto (Morocco)

Kader Japonais (Algeria)

Raja Meziane (Algeria)