HATFIELD, United Kingdom (VOICE OF NAJA) – Afrobeats singer, Divine Ikubor, aka Rema, met Rwandan President, Paul Kagame at the presidential palace in Kigali on Sunday.
The Mavin Records signee attended the 2023 Trace Music Awards in Kigali on Saturday where he won the Global African Artist of the Year and Song of the Year with ‘Calm Down’.
Speaking during his visit to the President, the music star said, “Coming to Rwanda, it gives me that vibe of a place I can rest and feel at home without having to travel overseas.
A lot of time we just want to take that break, we just want to lay back… I feel like with here we can serene energy, that vibe. And I feel like it’s even going to be a bigger thing when we [Africans] start uniting.
“I must say thank you so much, Mr President.”
The winners and organisers of Trace Music Awards 2023 capped a wonderful weekend in Kigali with a rendezvous with President Paul Kagame, who promised to do more to support arts and talent on the continent and commended Trace Group for the successful awards ceremony
Led by Olivier Laouchez, CEO Trace Group and head of the Trace Music Awards, some of the winners recognised during the colourful awards ceremony on Saturday met the Head of State at Urugwiro Village where they held an interactive session before the artistes, led by South African singer and songwriter, Nomcebo Zikode, wished him a happy birthday in advance.
President Kagame congratulated the winners and thanked them for taking time to come to Rwanda to participate in the awards and later meet him when they could be in any other part of the world going on with their work.
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Sew full list of winners and nominees below:
Album of the Year
DNK – Aya Nakamura (France)
WINNER: Love Damini – Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Maverick – Kizz Daniel (Nigeria)
More Love, Less Ego – Wizkid (Nigeria)
Timeless – Davido (Nigeria)
Work of Art – Asake (Nigeria)
Song of the Year
“BKBN” – Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)
“People” – Libianca (Cameroon)
“Suavemente” – Soolking (France)
“Encre” – Emma’a (Gabon)
“Sugarcane” – Camidoh (Ghana)
“Last Last” – Burna Boy (Nigeria)
“Rush” – Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
WINNER: “Calm Down” – Rema (Nigeria)
“Peru” – Fireboy DML (Nigeria) with Ed Sheeran (U.K.)
“Sete” – K.O. (South Africa)
“Cough” – Kizz Daniel (Nigeria)
“MORTEL 06” – Innoss’B (DRC)
Best Music Video
“2 Sugar” – Wizkid (Nigeria) feat. Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
WINNER: “Baddie” – Yemi Alade (Nigeria)
“Kpaflotage” – Suspect 95 (Ivory Coast)
“Loaded” – Tiwa Savage(Nigeria) & Asake (Nigeria)
“Ronda” – Blxckie (South Africa)
“Tombolo” – Kalash (Martinique)
Yatapita” – Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Best Male
Asake (Nigeria)
Burna Boy (Nigeria)
WINNER: Davido (Nigeria)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Didi B (Ivory Coast)
K.O. (South Africa)
Rema (Nigeria)
Best Female
Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
Josey (Ivory Coast)
Nadia Mukami (Kenya)
Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)
Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)
WINNER: Viviane Chidid (Senegal)
Best Collaboration
“Many Ways” – BNXN (Nigeria) with Wizkid (Nigeria)
“Mine” – Show Dem Camp (Nigeria) with Oxlade (Nigeria)
“Peru” – Fireboy DML (Nigeria) with Ed Sheeran (U.K.)
“Second Sermon” – Black Sherif (Ghana) with Burna Boy (Nigeria)
“Sete” – K.O. (South Africa) with Young Stunna (South Africa), Blxckie (South Africa)
“Stamina” – Tiwa Savage with Ayra Starr (Nigeria) & Young Jonn (Nigeria)
“Trumpet” – Olamide (Nigeria) with Ckay (Nigeria)
WINNER: “Unavailable” – Davido (Nigeria) with Musa Keys (South Africa)
Best Newcomer
Azawi (Uganda)
Krys M (Cameroon)
Libianca (Cameroon)
Nissi (Nigeria)
Odumodublvck (Nigeria)
Pabi Cooper (South Africa)
WINNER: Roseline Layo (Ivory Coast)
Best D.J.
Danni Gato (Cape Verde)
DJ BDK (Ivory Coast)
DJ Illans (France)
DJ Spinall (Nigeria)
WINNER: Michael Brun (Haiti)
Uncle Waffles (Swaziland)
Best Producer
DJ Maphorisa (South Africa)
Juls (Ghana)
Kabza de Small (South Africa)
Kel-P (Nigeria)
WINNER: Tam Sir (Ivory Coast)
Best Gospel Artist
Benjamin Dube (South Africa)
Janet Otieno (Kenya)
WINNER: KS Bloom (Ivory Coast)
Levixone (Uganda)
Moses Bliss (Nigeria)
Best Live
Burna Boy (Nigeria)
WINNER: Fally Ipupa (DRC)
Musa Keys (South Africa)
The Compozers (Ghana)
Wizkid (Nigeria)
Yemi Alade (Nigeria)
Best Dancer
WINNER: Robot Boii (South Africa)
Tayc (France)
Uganda Ghetto Kids (Uganda)
Yemi Alade (Nigeria)
Zuchu (Tanzania)
Best Artist Africa – Anglophone
WINNER: Asake (Nigeria)
Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
Black Sherif (Ghana)
Davido (Nigeria)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Fireboy DML (Nigeria)
Best Artist Africa – Francophone
WINNER: Didi B (Ivory Coast)
Emma’a (Gabon)
Fally Ipupa (DRC)
KO-C (Cameroon)
Locko (Cameroon)
Serge Beynaud (Ivory Coast)
Viviane Chidid (Senegal)
Best Artist Africa – Lusophone
Gerilson Insrael (Angola)
WINNER: Lisandro Cuxi (Cape Verde)
Perola (Angola)
Plutonio (Mozambique)
Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)
Best Artist – Rwanda
Ariel Wayz (Rwanda)
WINNER: Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)
Bwiza (Rwanda)
Chriss Eazy (Rwanda)
Kenny Sol (Rwanda)
Best Artist – East Africa
Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)
WINNER: Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Zuchu (Tanzania)
Khaligraph (Kenya)
Nadia Mukani (Kenya)
Azawi (Uganda)
Best Artist – France & Belgium
Aya Nakamura (France)
Booba (France)
Nihno (France)
Ronisia (France)
Soolking (France)
WINNER: Tayc (France)
Best Artist – UK
WINNER: Central Cee (U.K.)
Headie One (U.K.)
Ms Banks (U.K.)
Raye (U.K.)
Stormzy (U.K.)
Best Artist – The Caribbean
Admiral T (Guadeloupe)
Bamby (French Guiana)
Kalash (Martinique)
Maureen (Martinique)
Popcaan (Jamaica)
Princess Lover (Martinique)
WINNER: Rutshelle Guillaume (Haiti)
Shenseea (Jamaica)
Best Artist – Indian Ocean
Donovan BTS (Mauritius)
GaEi (Madagascar)
WINNER: Goulam (Comoros)
Mik’l (Reunion)
Sega el (Reunion)
Terrell Elymoor (Mayotte)
Best Artist – Brazil
Djonga (Brazil)
Iza (Brazil)
Leo Santana (Brazil)
WINNER: Ludmilla (Brazil)
Luedji Luna (Brazil)