First stage laureates for 2024 African Music Academy awards announced
The national laureates for the first stage of the 2024 African Music Academy (AMA) Awards have been announced. The laureates are designated, not as the best in their category, but as people organizations wish to see embody their category. The laureate designated by local professional organizations in each category can be of any genre, gender, age; she or he could be a newcomer or veteran.
The six categories awarded by the industry for 2024 will be:
- Songwriters
- Composers
- Performers
- Musicians
- Executive Producers
- Managers
Three other prizes will be awarded by the Honorary Committee:
- Publisher Prize
- Special Prize
- Memory Prize
The three-stage process for the 2024 AMA Awards will go as follows:
- Professional organizations in each country will designate one laureate for each category for a total of six national laureates per country in 2024.
- The national laureates will elect the regional laureates for a total of six regional laureates per region.
- The regional laureates will elect the global laureates for six global laureates.
The second stage results are to be announced by May 15th of each year. The global prize list will be announced by June 20th of each year. The complete rules can be found on the African Music Academy's website.
The following are the list of national laureates for 2024:
North Africa
- GROUPE TIKOUBAOUINE, cat. Performers, Algeria
- NESRINE JABEUR, cat. Performers, Tunisia
- SALIHA OULD MOUSSA, cat. Musicians, Algeria
- YACINE OUABED, cat. Songwriters, Algeria
- YOUNES BAHRI, cat. Composers, Algeria
East Africa - ANGELL MUTONI, cat. Songwriters, Rwanda
- BUSHALI (HAGENIMANA JEAN PAUL), cat. Performers, Rwanda
- FANUEL PHABIAN PETER, cat. Performers, Tanzania
- GABRIEL MANASE, cat. Songwriters, Tanzania
- HAPPINESS MBOGO, cat. Composers, Tanzania
- JUSTIN JOHN MHAGACHI, cat. Producers, Tanzania
- MASUDI KANDORO, cat. Managers, Tanzania
- MIKE KAYIHURA, cat. Composers, Rwanda
- NGABO KEVIN, cat. Managers, Rwanda
- NOOPJA (NDUWIMANA JEAN PAUL), cat. Producers, Rwanda
- NZAYISENGA SOPHIE, cat. Musicians, Rwanda
- SULEYMAN SALIM GAO, cat. Musicians, Tanzania
West Africa - CEDRIC PEDRO DG CENTRALE COMPANY, cat. Managers, Benin
- DIDI B, cat. Performers, Ivory Coast
- EMMA DOBRE PROD, cat. Producers, Ivory Coast
- JEAN EBO, cat. Musicians, Ivory Coast
- MAX SOLO, cat. Musicians, Burkina Faso
- NOURAT, cat. Performers, Burkina Faso
- PETIT JEANO, cat. Composers, Burkina Faso
- PETIT MIGUELITO, cat. Performers, Benin
- SAN RÉMY TRAORÉ, cat. Producers, Burkina Faso
- SMARTY, cat. Songwriters, Burkina Faso
- SOMSSAYA, cat. Managers, Burkina Faso
- WILLY BENEDICTION, cat. Songwriters, Ivory Coast
Central Africa - CHRISTIAN LEPIRA, cat. Managers, Democratic Republic of Congo
- ELISHA K, cat. Composers, Cameroon
- ERIC NICE, cat. Performers & Songwriters, Democratic Republic of Congo
- JOVI, cat. Musicians, Cameroon
- KRYS M, cat. Performers, Cameroon
- LIBERÉ KITULO ELIE, cat. Musicians, Democratic Republic of Congo
- LOCKO, cat. Songwriters, Cameroon
- THASI PONDA, cat. Composers & Producers, Democratic Republic of Congo
Southern Africa - CLEO ICEQUEEN, cat. Performers, Zambia
- COSS CHIWALO, cat. Songwriters, Malawi
- DAMASCUSS PHIRI, cat. Producers, Malawi
- MERRIUM PONDANI (QUEEN FYAH), cat. Performers, Malawi
- MIRACLE CHINGA, cat. Musicians, Malawi
- MR STASH BEATS, cat. Producers, Zambia
- POMPI, cat. Musicians, Zambia
- ROBERTO, cat. Songwriters, Zambia
- SAMUEL CHIWAKA, cat. Managers, Malawi
- TIWONGE HANGO, cat. Composers, Malawi
Caribbean Diaspora
- ALI ANGEL, cat. Producers, Martinique
- JOSÉ ZEBINA, cat. Musicians, Martinique
- JOËL JACOULET, cat. Composers, Martinique
- JOËL LUTBERT, cat. Songwriters, Martinique
- MAURANE VOYER, cat. Performers, Martinique
Latin America Diaspora
- ADAYMU, cat. Performers, Chile
- AFROITO, cat. Performers, Brazil
- ALEXIS PLAY, cat. Producers, Colombia
- BRYAM RUIZ, cat. Musicians, Colombia
- CYNTHIA MONTAÑO, cat. Songwriters, Colombia
- DESSA FERREIRA, cat. Composers, Brazil
- DONA CONCEIÇÃO, cat. Songwriters, Brazil
- ESTEBAN COPETE, cat. Composers, Colombia
- JOSS DEE, cat. Producers, Brazil
- LILIANA ESCOBAR – AE AGENCIA, cat. Managers, Colombia
- MAPAPO CASTILLO, cat. Managers, Chile
- MAURICIO TIZUMBA, cat. Musicians, Brazil
- NEKKI, cat. Songwriters, Chile
- NIDIA GÓNGORA, cat. Performers, Colombia
- OMAR CARRASCO, cat. Musicians, Chile
- PABLO TRUQUERO, cat. Producers, Chile
- REIKAT, cat. Producers, Chile
- TÂNIA ARTUR, cat. Managers, Brazil
The AMA is honoured to reward the laureates as full members of the Academy, designated by their national organizations.