Excitement is building in Ghana’s music industry following the official announcement of nominees for the 27th edition of the Telecel Ghana Music Awards.

The annual awards scheme, which celebrates outstanding achievements in Ghanaian music, has once again assembled some of the country’s biggest stars and emerging talents across multiple categories.

This year’s Artiste of the Year category is expected to be one of the most competitive, featuring six heavyweight acts: Black Sherif, Medikal, Stonebwoy, Wendy Shay, Sarkodie and Diana Hamilton, all of whom have had a remarkable year under review.

Artiste of the Year

• Black Sherif

• Medikal

• Stonebwoy

• Wendy Shay

• Sarkodie

• Diana Hamilton

Best Hiplife Song

• Medikal ft Shatta Wale & Beeztrap KOTM

Shoulder

• Fameye ft Medikal — Habit

• Ko-Jo Cue ft AratheJay & Ofori Amponsah

Tontonte

• Kojo Blak ft Sarkodie — Next Door

• Sarkodie ft Kweku Flick — Messiah

• Kwesi Amewuga — Badness

Best Highlife Song

• Kofi Kinaata — It Is Finished

• King Paluta — Foko!

• Kwabena Kwabena ft Stonebwoy & Kofi Kinaata — Aso II

• Amerado — Obi Adi

• Kuami Eugene — Do Better

Best Traditional Gospel Song

• Joyce Blessing ft King Paluta — Correct

• Piesie Esther — Nyame Ye

• Mabel Okyere — So Far So Good

• Kofi Owusu Peprah ft Diana Hamilton — M’aseda

• Celestine Donkor ft Diana Hamilton — Akorfala

• Paul Enana — Baba God (Matthew 6:26)

Best Hip Hop Song

• Black Sherif — Where Dem Boys

• O’Kenneth — Balenciaga

• Sarkodie ft Kweku Smoke — Violence

• Kweku Smoke — Adu The Borga

• Gonaboy — Same Timbs

• Lalid — The Matter

Best Afropop Song

• Black Sherif — Sacrifice

• Stonebwoy — Gidi Gidi

• Olivetheboy ft Sarkodie — Bend

• Gyakie — Sankofa

• Lasmid — Olivia

• King Promise ft Mr Eazi — See What We’ve Done

Best Music Video

• Kojo Blak ft Kelvyn Boy — Excellent (Directed by Henry Akrong)

• Black Sherif — Sacrifice (Directed by Meekah Jagun)

• Medikal — Welcome to Africa (Directed by Xbills Ebenezer)

• Stonebwoy — Shine (Directed by Yaw Skyface)

• Samini ft Soweto Gospel Choir — Chaana (Directed by Yaw Skyface)

• AratheJay — Put Am On God (Directed by David Duncan)

Best Afrobeats Song

• Kojo Blak ft Kelvyn Boy — Excellent

• KiDi ft Olivetheboy & Kojo Blak — Gymnastic

• Wendy Shay ft Olivetheboy — Crazy Love

• Mr Drew ft Olivetheboy — OMG

• Lasmid ft King Promise — No Issues

Best Male Vocal Performance

• Asiama — Akoma

• Deon Boakye — Time (Live Session)

• Perez Musik — By Prayer

• Josh Blakk — Catch-22

• Carl Clottey — Yehowa

Best Female Vocal Performance

• Enam — Amin

• Grace Charles (Team Eternity GH) — See Me Through

• Niella — Show Me How to Love

• Cina Soul — Breathe

• Lordina The Soprano — Beni Tookwai

Best Afrobeats/Afropop Artiste

• Wendy Shay

• Kojo Blak

• KiDi

• Olivetheboy

• Gyakie

• Moliy

Best Highlife Artiste

• Fameye

• King Paluta

• Kwabena Kwabena

• Kofi Kinaata

• Kuami Eugene

Best Rap Performance

• Strongman — Mensei Da

• Ko-Jo Cue — Abeberese

• Lyrical Joe — 5th August 9

• Joe Kay — 4GG (For God’s Glory)

• Medikal — Welcome to Africa

• Sarkodie — Violence

Best Hiplife/Hip Hop Artiste

• Black Sherif

• Medikal

• Kweku Smoke

• Sarkodie

• Ko-Jo Cue

• O’Kenneth

Most Popular Song of the Year

• KiDi ft Olivetheboy & Kojo Blak — Gymnastic

• Black Sherif — Sacrifice

• Wendy Shay ft Olivetheboy — Crazy Love

• Kojo Blak ft Kelvyn Boy — Excellent

• Medikal ft Shatta Wale & Beeztrap KOTM

Shoulder

• Lasmid — Olivia

• Moliy, Shenseea, Skillibeng & Silent Addy

Shake It To The Max (Remix)

• Piesie Esther — Nyame Ye

• King Paluta — Foko!