Stiff competition as VGMA introduces Reggae/ Dancehall Artiste of the Year award

Perhaps, there has not been any awards scheme in
Ghana that has been a listening one as the
Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA). Indeed one
of the reasons why the VGMA has managed to
remain relevant over the years has been its ability
to adapt to changes.
Based on the feedback and advice from industry
players and the general public, VGMA has made a
few changes to this year’s edition of the awards.
A release from the organisers indicate that in
recognition of the continually emerging new genres
on the music scene, the board has finally
succumbed to the desire of fans and created a
category for Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the Year.
This is one music genre that has undoubtedly
become a favourite of many musicians and patrons.
Previously, Reggae/Dancehall only had one place in
the category of awards, which was the Reggae/
Dancehall Song of the Year.
The new category definition, according to the
organisers, reads, “The Reggae/Dancehall Artiste
(s) of the Year is the Artiste(s) adjudged by the
Academy, Board and the General Public as the
Artiste(s) with the highest audience appeal and
popularity in the Reggae/Dancehall genre. The
Artiste(s) must have released a hit single/album in
the year under review.
This category is expected to be one of the most
fiercely contested this year with artistes such as
Stonebwoy, Samini, MzVee, Kaakie, Blakk Rasta,
etc being tipped to be top contenders for this award.
It is not certain who will emerge as the first
Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the year but one thing
is certain, it’s going to be an interesting wait till
April,11, 2015 when the final awards event comes
off.
Another major change that has occurred is in the
New Artiste of the Year category. This award, which
recognises new and budding talent in the music
industry is usually very keenly contested and as a
result generates a lot of controversy as to who is
actually a new artiste.
One can recall the story of Kumi Guitar who many
thought did not deserve to be nominated as a new
artiste in the 2014 edition of the VGMA’s. To
minimize the usual controversy that surrounds this
award the category has been re-defined to capture
the very meaning of “new” in relation to the
Vodafone Ghana Music Awards.
The new category definition now reads, “The New
Artiste of the Year is the Artiste(s) adjudged by the
Academy, Board and the General Public as the most
promising and talented emerging artiste(s). The
award goes to a relatively new artiste(s) who
released a single/album that FIRST shot the artiste
(s) into the public limelight in the year under review.
Source: 233Prime