The African Union Commission (AUC) and the International Committee of All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) have released the 2021 nominations.

The shortlist was from over 8,880 songs submitted for adjudication and features over 400 songs from artistes in the 30 continental and 10 regional categories.

South Africa’s duo, Blaq Diamond leads with eight nominations for their song, ‘SummerYoMuthi’.

They are in contention for Best Male Artiste in Southern Africa, Artiste of the Year in Africa; Song of the Year in Africa; Producer of the Year in Africa; Best Male Artiste in African Inspirational Music; Breakout Artiste of the Year; Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African Pop; Best African Duo, Group or Band.

Also from South Africa, Focalistic has seven nominations with hit single, ‘Ke Star’ [Remix], featuring Davido and Vigro Deep.

He’s in for Best Male Artiste in Southern Africa; Artiste of the Year in Africa; Song of the Year in Africa; Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African Dance or Choreography; Best African Collaboration; Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African Electro; Breakout Artiste of the Year.

Wizkid, with his hit song ‘Essence’ featuring Tems, has six nominations including Artiste of the Year in Africa; Best Male Artist in Western Africa; Album of the Year; Best African Collaboration; Song of the Year in Africa; Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African R n B Soul.

Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz with ‘waah’ featuring Koffi Olomide; Aya Nakamura of French-Mali with ‘Plus Jamais’ featuring Stormzy; Iba One of Mali for ‘Education’, featuring Oumou Sangare, and Mozambique’s DJ Tarico for monster hit ‘Yaba buluku’ featuring Burna Boy, Preck & Nelson Tivane, have five nominations each.

Nigeria’s Omah Lay has four nominations – Artiste of the Year in Africa; Best Artiste in Western Africa; Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African Pop; Breakout Artiste of the Year.

Davido (Nigeria); Fally Ipupa (DRC Congo); MHD (Guinea); Patoranking (Nigeria); and Rayvanny (Tanzania) were also nominated in four categories.

Ghana’s Gyakie, Bella Shmurda (Nigeria); Nikita Kering (Kenya); Nata (Sierra Leone); Abir (Morocco); Olakira (Nigeria); Burna boy (Nigeria); Calema (Sao Tome & Principe); Cassper Nyovest (South Africa); DJ Moh Green (Algeria); Djelykaba Bintou (Guinea) have three nominations.

Ditto Ferre Gola (DRC Congo); Gyakie (Ghana); Kamo Mphela (South Africa); Kelly Khumalo (South Africa); Loco (Cameroon); Lojay & Sarz; Makhadzi (South Africa); Nasty C (South Africa); Rebo (DR Congo); Tems (Nigeria); Tiwa Savage (Nigeria); and Vector (Nigeria).

Shan’L (Gabon); Tayc (Cameroon); The Isomers (Nigeria); T’neeya (Cameroon); Cavemen (Nigeria); Afrie (Uganda); Solking (Algeria); Ko-C (Cameroon); Salatiel & Rutshelle Guillaume (Cameroon); Djodje (Cape Verde); Adekunle Gold (Nigeria); Bensoul (Kenya); Blxckie (South Africa); Franck Biyong (Cameroon); and Innoss’B (DR Congo) have two nominations.

Others are Kidi (Ghana); Ladipoe (Nigeria); Major League DJZ (South Africa); Manal (Morocco); Mapara A Jazz (South Africa); Mi Casa (South Africa); Nandy (Tanzania); Nelson Freitas (Cape Verde); Nomcebo Zikode (South Africa); Sauti Sol (Kenya); Stonebwoy (Ghana); Toofan (Togo); Yaw Tog (Ghana); Yemi Alade (Nigeria) and Zuchu (Tanzania).

Hadja Kobele, a member of the 13-man AFRIMA jury, assured that the committee gave Africans and the world the very best nominations and songs under the year in review.

Angela Martins, Head of Culture, AUC, said the Legend award category will be announced at the awards, while Best Soundtrack in a movie/series/documentary film category was suspended due to low quality entries for this year’s edition.

AFRIMA will be televised from Lagos between November 19-21, 2021.