It was three years ago when Ebony Reigns won Artiste of the Year at what is considered the biggest night in the Ghana Music Industry – the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards. The late dancehall artiste and self-acclaimed bad girl's posthumous win was everything but a rig.

Leading to the 2019 edition, no female artiste had ever been associated with the artiste of the year tag despite multiple nominations that had come their way in the male dominated category. Recognized players like Mzvee, Efya, Christiana Love, Philippa Baafi, Becca and Cecilia Marfo had served their term in the category, but failed to pick up the bragging rights until Ebony's victory in 2018.

In as much as the late songstress' win foamed a levelled-up ball game for female artists in the country, her absence loosened the status of control and domination that female artists yearned for since the inception of the VGMAs.

However, during last Saturday's telecast, which marked the end of the two-day ceremony, Gospel artiste Diana Hamilton altered the loose part of the narrative by receiving the Artiste of the Year prize in-person (thank God she is alive). Not only did she modify history, she also made double history by becoming the first female artist to win Song of the Year (Adom) and the first Gospel artiste to win Song of the Year. Aside from her historic night, she reprised her role as Gospel Artiste of the year for the third consecutive time and Gospel Song of the Year for the second time (she last won in 2019).

Meanwhile in the Album of the Year category, Adina stretched the short robe of female artistes who have won the category in previous years. She won album of the year, making her the fourth female artiste in VGMA history to record such a feat. Esther Smith, Ohemaa Mercy and the late Ebony Reigns previously bagged the category in 2005, 2008 and 2018 respectively. She again won Record of the Year, which reintroduced her as the custodian of the category after her win in 2017 and also nabbed Reggae/Dancehall Song of the Year with 'Why'.

Taking the historic night for women further, Eno Barony defeated the likes of Amerado, Medikal, Joey B, Strongman and Sarkodie in the Best Rap Performance category with her Efya-featured track 'God is a Woman'. Barony's win doubles as one of the vibrant moments of the evening, taking into account her long overdue recognition in the music industry.

Elsewhere in other categories, MzVee took home Best Music Video, while Yaa Yaa took home the Music for Good Award.

Berla Mundi emceed the second day event for the fourth consecutive year, while AJ Sarpong, Sika Osei and Giovanni Caleb joined as co-hosts for day one and two of the ceremony.

Among the performances during the telecast were Best New Artiste winner Mr. Drew, 2020 Artiste of the Year winner Kuami Eugene, and five Female Vocalist of the Year winner Efya.

Kurl Songz, Kofi Kinaata and Sarkodie took the stage at one point of the show for a tribute performance in honour of Castro, who was officially pronounced dead this year after the tragic Ada incident seven years ago.

Below is the full list of winners at the 2021 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards

Record of the Year Be Your Own Beautiful – Adomaa Daddy’s Little Girl – Adina ————–Winner Fancy – Amaarae Die 4 U – Cina Soul Too Much – Epixode Diplomatic Teef – Trigmatic Comot – Worlasi Mmusuo – YaaYaa Sound Engineer of the year (The award goes to one who produced the song which won the Record of the Year) Richie Mensah ————Winner Instrumentalist of the Year Joshua Moszi Nana Yaw Sarfo ————-Winner Prince Sennah Emmanuel Bludo Enoch Owuraku Kissi Traditional Artiste of the Year Manhyia Tete Nwomkro ——-Winner Songwriter of the Year Diana Hamilton – Adom Kofi Kinaata – Behind the Scenes ————Winner Adina – Hyedin Joe Mettle – Yesu Mo Abiana – Adun Lei Epixode – Too Much Music for Good Yaayaa ———-Winner Male Vocalist of the Year KiDi – One Man Joe Mettle – Yesu Mo Akwaboah – Posti Me MOGmusic – Oguamma ———Winner Kyei Mensah – Take It All Kingsley Amporful – God Female Vocalist of the Year Abiana – Adun Lei ———–Winner Adina – Hear Me Cina Soul – Die 4 U YaaYaa – Mmusuo Efe Grace – Lord Have Your Way Enuonyam – Fill Me Best Group of the Year Bethel Revival Choir DopeNation Dead Peepol Keche —————Winner Producer of the Year Chris Rich Beats Yung Demz Street Beatz Richie Mensah ———-Winner MOG Beatz Willis Beatz Best African Artiste Burna Boy Davido Wizkid Master KG ————Winner Fireboy DML Omah Lay Best Video of the Year Why – Adina Fancy – Amaarae Adom – Diana Hamilton Cold – Joey B Open Gate – Kuami Eugene On the Street – Kweku Smoke Let Me Know – Mr Drew Baddest Boss – MzVee ————–Winner Kpa – Okyeame Kwame Thomas Pompoyeyaw Rmx – Pappy Kojo Lifetime Achievement Award Bob Pinodo ————-Winner Artiste of the Year Adina KiDi Diana Hamilton ———-Winner Kuami Eugene Medikal Sarkodie Album of the Year Araba – Adina ———-Winner Kpanlogo – Darkovibes Son of Africa – Kuami Eugene The Truth – Medikal Inveencible – MzVee 10 Am – Strongman Blackstar – KelvynBoy Lava Feels – Joey B Hip-Hop Song of the Year Ataa Adwoa – Bosom P-Yung Otan Hunu – Dead Peepol ft Rich Kent Akobam – Joey B ft Medikal & Kofi Mole Ekorso – Kofi Jamar ft. Yaw Tog & Ypee Money – Kweku Flick Live from 233 – Kwesi Arthur La Hustle Remix – Medikal ft Joey B & Criss Waddle Sore – Yaw Tog ft O’kenneth, City Boy, Reggie, Jay Bahd ——————-Winner Force Dem To Play Nonsense – Eno Barony ft. Sister Derby & Strongman Highlife Song of the Year Posti Me – Akwaboah Playboy – Dada Hafco ft. Akwaboah Enjoyment – KiDi ———————Winner Behind The Scenes – Kofi Kinaata Open Gate – Kuami Eugene Asabone – Lord Paper ft. Bosom P-Yung Later – Mr Drew ft. Kelvyn Boy Party – Sista Afia ft. Fameye Gospel Song of the Year Blessed – Akesse Brempong ft. Joe Mettle Favour Everywhere – Celestine ft. Evelyn Wanjiru Adom – Diana Hamilton ————–Winner Jesus Over Do – Empress Gifty Yesu Mo – Joe Mettle Jesus – MOGmusic Jejeli – KobbySalm ft. Okey Sokay Who Say God No Dey – Kofi Karikari Hiplife Song of the Year Thank God – DopeNation ft. Kofi Kinaata Enough Is Enough – Eno Barony ft. Wendy Shay Long Life – Fameye ft. Kwesi Arthur No Dulling – Keche ft. Kuami Eugene ————-Winner Dw3 Remix – Krymi, Mr Drew ft. All-Stars Pilolo – Strongman ft. Kelvyn Boy Happy Day – Sarkodie ft. Kuami Eugene Ghetto Boy – Tulenkey ft. Kelvyn Boy & Medikal Reggae/Dancehall Song of the Year Why – Adina – ——————-Winner Sheriff – MzVee Forever – Samini Lonely – Jah Lead Killy Killy Rmx – Larruso ft Stonebwoy & Kwesi Arthur Make Up – Kaphun ft Stonebwoy Gye Diee – Ras Kuuku ft MOGmusic Mi Dey Up Rmx – Kofi Jamar ft Stonebwoy Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the Year Epixode ———-Winner Samini Ras Kuuku Kaphun Larruso Afrobeats/Afropop Song of the Year Take Care of You – Adina ft Stonebwoy Inna Song – Darkovibes ft King Promise Forever – Gyakie Momo – KelvynBoy ft Mugeez & Darkovibes Say Cheese – KiDi ————————Winner Sisa – King Promise Turn On the Lights – Kwesi Arthur Let Me Know – Mr Drew Maria – Camidoh Emergency – Wendy Shay EP of the Year Blue EP – KiDi ————Winner Seed EP – Gyakie Different – GuiltyBeatz Mood Swings – Edem Sorry For The Wait This Is Not The Wait – Kwesi Arthur The Truth – Kofi Jamar Best Collaboration of the Year Take Care Of You – Adina ft. Stonebwoy Inna Song – Darkovibes ft. King Promise No Dulling – Keche ft. Kuami Eugene One Man – KiDi ft. Adina Ekorso – Kofi Jamar ft. Yaw Tog, Ypee La Hustle Rmx – Medikal ft. Criss Waddle, Joey B Happy Day – Sarkodie ft Kuami Eugene —————-Winner Sore – Yaw Tog ft. O’Kenneth, reggie, Jay Bhad, City Boi International Collaboration of the Year Favor Everywhere – Celestine Donkor ft. Evelyn Wanjiru The One – Efya ft. Tiwa Savage Something Nice – Kofi Kinaata ft. Patoranking Show Body – Kuami Eugene ft. Falz Baajo – Kwesi Arthur ft. JoeyBoy ———Winner CEO Flow – Sarkodie ft. E-40 Paper – Sista Afia ft Victor AD Thomas Pompoyeyew RMX – Pappy Kojo ft. Busisiwa Best Rap Performance Amerado – Best Rapper Eno Barony – God Is A Woman ——-Winner Joey B – Cold Medikal – Stop It Sarkodie – Brown Paper Bag Strongman – Flawless Best New Artiste of the Year Amerado Bosom PYung Dead Peepol Gyakie Kofi Jamar Kweku Flick Larruso Mr Drew ———Winner Yaw Tog Camidoh Vodafone Most Popular Song of the Year Ataa Adwoa – Bosom PYung Adom – Diana Hamilton ————–Winner No Dulling – Keche Enjoyment – KiDi Sisa – King Promise Ekorso – Kofi Jamar Open Gate – Kuami Eugene La Hustle Remix – Medikal Happy Day – Sarkodie Sore – Yaw Tog Say Cheese – KiDi Inna Song – Darkovibes Hiplife/Hip-Hop Artiste of the Year Eno Barony Joey B Keche Kofi Jamar Kwesi Arthur Medikal ————Winner Sarkodie Yaw Tog Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the Year Epixode Samini Ras Kuuku ———–Winner Kaphun Larruso Highlife Artiste of the Year Akwaboah Fameye Kofi Kinaata Kuami Eugene ———-Winner Sista Afia Dada Hafco Afrobeat/Afropop Artiste of the Year Adina Darkovibes Camidoh KelvynBoy KiDi ———–Winner King Promise Mr. Drew Wendy Shay Gospel Artiste of the Year Akesse Brempong Joe Mettle Celestine Donkor Diana Hamilton ————-Winner Empress Gifty MOGmusic Efe Grace Eric Jeshrun   Photo Credit: 3news.com