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
