TRACE Awards 2023: Rema, Davido, Burna Boy Win Big

Nigerian music superstars Rema, Yemi Alade, Davido emerged as winners at the 2023 Trace Awards in Kigali, Rwanda on Saturday.

Divine Ikubor popularly known as Rema, who won the biggest awards at HEADIES 2023 also won big, getting two awards — Song of the Year award for his global hit, ‘Calm Down’ and Best Global African Artist. The young Nigerian prodigy had a tie with South African Artiste and songwriter, Nomcebo Zikode.

Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ remix with Selena Gomez has continued to win laurels and reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Davido, who is the most followed Nigerian on Instagram also won two awards, Best Male and Best collaboration for his hit song, “Unavailable,” with Musa Keys.

Burna Boy won Album of the Year for Love Damini while female songstress, Yemi Alade won the Video of the Year award. Kel P won the Best Producer of the year. TuFace got the Life Achievement Award.

More than 150 artistes were nominated in the awards ceremony, which 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.

The awards ceremony, which was hosted by Nigerian music veteran, Dapo Oyebanji known as D’Banj alongside Angolan global supermodel Maria Borges, featured a star-studded lineup of performers, including Davido, Yemi Alade, Black Sherif, Kizz Daniel and more.

The Trace Awards included performances by approximately 50 African and Afro-inspired artists from around the world, including Davido, Yemi Alade, Mr Eazi and Diamond Platnumz.

In addition to the competitive categories listed below, awards were presented in three categories in which no nominees were announced. They were: a lifetime achievement award to 2Face, a Change Maker award to Mr Eazi (Nigeria).

The Trace Awards are a new awards franchise created by Trace, a global TV and multimedia platform. The purpose of the awards is to recognize African and Afro-influenced musicians from Africa and around the African diasporas.

Here’s the full list of winners and nominees from the 2023 Trace Awards:

Song of the Year
Calm Down – Rema

Album of the Year
Love Damini – Burna Boy

Best Music Video
Baddie – Yemi Alade

Best Male
Davido

Best Female
Viviane Chidid (Senegal)

Best Collaboration
“Unavailable” – Davido (Nigeria) with Musa Keys (South Africa)

Best Newcomer
Roseline Layo (Ivory Coast)

Best DJ
Michael Brun (Haiti)

Best Producer
Tam Sir (Ivory Coast)

Best Gospel Artist
KS Bloom (Ivory Coast)

Best Live
Fally Ipupa (DRC)

Best Dancer
Robot Boii (South Africa)

Best Artist Africa – Anglophone
Asake (Nigeria)

Best Artist Africa – Francophone
Didi B (Ivory Coast)

Best Artist Africa – Lusophone
Lisandro Cuxi (Cape Verde)

Best Artist – Rwanda
Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)

Best Artist – East Africa
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)

Best Artist – France & Belgium
Tayc (France)

Best Artist – UK
Central Cee (UK)

Best Artist – The Caribbean
Rutshelle Guillaume (Haiti)

Best Artist – Indian Ocean
Goulam (Comoros)

Best Artist – Brazil
Ludmilla (Brazil)

Best Artist – North Africa
Dystinct (Morocco)