Trace Awards 2025: Tyla, Burna Boy, Diamond Platnumz Lead Nominations

Tyla, Tyler ICU, and Makhadzi are prominent South African artists leading the nominations for The Trace Awards & Summit 2025.

In the Album of the Year category, the frontrunners include Burna Boy from Nigeria with “I Told Them,” Asake’s “Lungu Boy,” and Stonebwoy’s “5th Dimension.”

The Best DJ category is heavily represented by South African talent, featuring nominees such as Tyler ICU, Uncle Waffles, DJ Maphorisa, and Kabza De Small.

Tyla is also in contention for Best Female Artist alongside Makhadzi, Nigeria's Ayra Starr, Tems, and Yemi Alade, while the Best Male Artist nominees include Dlala Thukzin, Diamond Platnumz, Asake, Burna Boy, and Rema.

The Trace Awards & Summit 2025, the most prestigious musical event on the African continent, is set to electrify Zanzibar. The Trace Awards ceremony, taking place on the 26th February 2025, will bring together the continent’s and diaspora’s greatest talents. Trace invites fans worldwide to actively participate by voting for their favourite artists.

Voting officially opens on the 2nd January 2025 ➡ www.traceawards.plus.

Music fans, it’s your time to act! Your vote accounts for 50% of the final decision and can make the difference in choosing the winners. The other half results from the votes of an expert jury.

A Celebration of African Musical Diversity

Africa is home to many musical styles that profoundly influence contemporary sounds worldwide.

The Trace Awards highlight the richness and excellence of Afro music through genres such as Afrobeat, dancehall, hip-hop, Afro-pop, mbalax, amapiano, zouk, kizomba, genge, coupé-décalé, bongo flava, soukous, gospel, rap, raï, kompa, RnB, and rumba. Artists from over 30 countries in Africa, South America, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, and Europe are competing in 24 categories.

Why Vote?

The Trace Awards are more than just an event; they are a platform dedicated to recognising artists who shape the future of African and international music. By voting, fans have the opportunity to amplify the voices of their favorite artists both on the continent and internationally and support works that reflect their identity and cultural pride.

Voting closes on 15th February 2025. (Voting is free, accessible to all, and fully compliant with RGPD regulations)

TRACE AWARDS 2025 NOMINEES

GLOBAL AWARDS 

Song of the Year

• Tyla – Jump (South Africa)
• Tyler ICU – Mnike (South Africa)
• Titom & Yuppe – Tshwala Bam (South Africa)
• Tamsir x Team Paiya – Coup du Marteau (Ivory Coast)
• Asake & Travis Scott – Active (Nigeria)
• Tems – Love Me Jeje (Nigeria)
• Burna Boy – Higher (Nigeria)
• Rema & Shallipopi – Benin Boys (Nigeria)
• Diamond Platnumz – Komasawa (Tanzania)

• Burna Boy – I Told Them (Nigeria)
• Asake – Lungu Boy (Nigeria)
• Rema – Heis (Nigeria)
• Josey – Vibration Universelle (Ivory Coast)
• Amaarae – Fountain Baby (Ghana)
• King Promise – True To Self (Ghana)
• Stonebwoy – 5th Dimension (Ghana)
• Toofan – Stamina (Togo)

• Titom & Yuppe & Burna Boy – Tshwala Bam (Remix) (South Africa/Nigeria)
• Neyna & MC Acondize – Nu Ka Sta Para (Cape Verde)
• Kocee ft. Patoranking – Credit Alert (Cameroon/Nigeria)
• Asake & Wizkid – MMS (Nigeria)
• Rema & Shallipopi – Benin Boys (Nigeria)
• Odumodublvck & Black Sherif – Woto Woto Seasoning (Ghana)
• Tamsir & Team Paiya – Coup du Marteau (Ivory Coast)

• Meji Alabi for Rema “DND” (Nigeria)
• TG Omori for Kizz Daniel & Davido “Twe Twe” (Nigeria)
• Director Folex for Zuchu feat Innoss’ B “Nani” (Remix) (Tanzania/DRC)
• Nabil Elderkin for Tyla “Jump” (South Africa)
• Kmane for Ayra Starr “Commas” (Nigeria)
• Seoute Emmanuel for Toofan “C Pas Normal” (Togo)
• Ach’B for Innoss’ B “Sete” (DRC)
• Edgar Esteves for Asake & Wizkid “MMS” (Nigeria).

• Ikorodu Boys (Nigeria)
• Dancegod Lloyd (Ghana)
• Incredible Zigi (Ghana)
• Kamo Mphela (South Africa)
• Telminho (Angola)
• Makhadzi (South Africa)
• Ordinateur (Ivory Coast)
• Issac Kalonji (Democratic Republic of Congo).

• Tyler ICU – Mnike (South Africa)
• Uncle Waffles – Wadibusa (South Africa)
• DJ Tunez – Apala Disco Remix (Nigeria)
• DJ Nelasta – Eros (Angola)
• DJ Spinall ft. Tyla & Omah Lay – One Call (Nigeria)
• DJ Neptune ft. Qing Madi – Honest (Nigeria)
• DJ Moh Green – Kelele (Algeria)
• DJ Maphorisa – Mnike (South Africa)
• Kabza De Small – Imithandazo (South Africa)

• Nasty C (South Africa), Didi B (Ivory Coast)
• Odumodublvck (Nigeria), Suspect 95 (Ivory Coast)
• Sarkodie (Ghana)
• Young Lunya (Tanzania)
• Maglera Doe Boy (South Africa)

• Tyla (South Africa)
• Tyler ICU (South Africa)
• Fally Ipupa (Democratic Republic of Congo)
• Burna Boy (Nigeria)
• Asake (Nigeria/USA)
• Rema (Nigeria)
• Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
• Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)

• Dlala Thukzin (South Africa)
• Fally Ipupa (Democratic Republic of Congo)
• Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
• Asake (Nigeria)
• Burna Boy (Nigeria)
• Rema (Nigeria)
• Wizkid (Nigeria)
• Stonebwoy (Ghana)

• Tyla (South Africa)
• Makhadzi (South Africa)
• Chelsea Dinorath (Angola)
• Josey (Ivory Coast)
• Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
• Tems (Nigeria)
• Yemi Alade (Nigeria)

• Nkosazana Daughter (South Africa)
• Himra (Ivory Coast)
• Sabrina (Cameroon)
• Mia Guissé (Senegal)
• Shallipopi (Nigeria)
• Qing Madi (Nigeria)
• Abigail Chams (Tanzania)

• Fally Ipupa (DRC)
• Ayra Starr – 21: The World Tour (Nigeria)
• Burna Boy – I Told Them (Nigeria)
• Tyla (South Africa)
• Yemi Alade – African Rebel Tour (Nigeria)
• Didi B – Mojo Trone Tour (Ivory Coast)
• Diamond Platnumz – Wasafi Festival (Tanzania)

• Kelvin Momo – Sewe (South Africa)
• P.Priime – MMS (Nigeria)
• DJ Maphorisa – Mnike (South Africa)
• Tam Sir – Coup du Marteau (Ivory Coast)
• Sarz – Happiness (Nigeria)
• Jae 5 – Perfect Combi (Ghana)
• KDDO – For Certain (Party Next Door) (Nigeria)
• London – Ozeba (Nigeria)
• Kabza De Small – Imithandazo (South Africa)

• Spirit of Praise 10 (South Africa)
• KS Bloom (Ivory Coast)
• Mercy Chinwo (Nigeria)
• Ada Ehi (Nigeria)
• Bella Kombo (Tanzania)
• Israël Mbonyi (Rwanda)

• Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
• Bien (Kenya)
• Joshua Baraka (Uganda)
• Harmonize (Tanzania)
• Rophnan (Ethiopia)
• Marioo (Tanzania)
• Zuchu (Tanzania)
• Nandy (Tanzania)

• Seyi Vibez (Nigeria)
• Adekunle Gold (Nigeria)
• Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
• Tems (Nigeria)
• Chike (Nigeria)
• Simi (Nigeria)
• KiDi (Ghana)

• Titom & Yuppe (South Africa)
• De Mthuda (South Africa)
• Inkabi Zezwe (South Africa)
• Dlala Thukzin (South Africa)
• Tyla (South Africa)
• Uncle Waffles (South Africa)
• Tyler ICU (South Africa)

• Didi B (Ivory Coast)
• Josey (Ivory Coast)
• Tidiane Mario (Congo)
• Gaz Mawete (Democratic Republic of Congo)
• Wally B. Seck (Senegal)
• PhillBill (Cameroon)

• Calema (São Tomé and Príncipe)
• Landrick (Angola)
• Chelsea Dinorath (Angola)
• Twenty Fingers (Mozambique)
• Mr. Bow (Mozambique)
• Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)

• Mbosso (Zanzibar)
• Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
• Zuchu (Zanzibar)
• Marioo (Tanzania)
• Nandy (Tanzania)
• Alikiba (Tanzania)
• Jux (Tanzania)
• Harmonize (Tanzania)

• Central Cee (United Kingdom)
• Kalash (France/Martinique)
• Darkoo (United Kingdom)
• Joe Dwet File (France/Haiti)
• Jungeli (France)
• Franglish (France)
• Aya Nakamura (France/Mali)

• Racionais MC’s (Brazil)
• MC IG (Brazil)
• Péricles (Brazil)
• Tasha & Tracie (Brazil)
• Ludmilla (Brazil)
• Duquesa (Brazil)

• Venssy (French Guiana)
• Mathieu White (Guadeloupe)
• Meryl (Martinique)
• Nesly (French Guiana)
• Shenseea (Jamaica)
• Kenny Haiti (Haiti)

• Barth (Reunion)
• Goulam (Comoros)
• PLL (Reunion)
• Kalipsxau (Reunion)
• Léa Churros (Reunion)
• Jamily Jeanne (Mauritius)

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