Black Sherif, Stonebwoy, Wendy Shay and odas wey fit win Ghana music awards artiste for 2026

Di 27th edition of di Ghana Music Awards dey hapun on Saturday 9 May 2026 wia six musicians dey nominated to win artiste of di year.

Every year, di industry dey award musicians, producers and directors wey drop hits and bangers to entertain di masses.

Di award also dey reward artistes wey get plenty streaming numbers, mass audience appeal and popularity and those wey make impact.

Reigning artiste of di year King Promise – wey bin win di 2025 Telecel Ghana music awards artist of di year go hand over di title to any of di six nominees.

Two female artistes dey compete wit four male artistes for di category.

Who be di six nominees for AOTY

Wendy Shay –

Di artiste wey get hit songs for di year under review, dey hope to win di award for di first time. She say to win artiste of di year "go inspire more female artistes; if Wendy fit do am, me too I fit do am," she tok for one interview wit Ghana presenter Kafui Dey.

Wendy Shay get seven nominations in total wey she dey hope say fans go reward her hardwork.

She dey nominated for Album of di year, Afrobeats song of di year, Afrobeats/Afropop artiste of di year and international collaboration of di year.

Di odas be collaboration of di year and most popular song of di year.

"Di numbers dey speak for diaserf, I don work hard wey I bin perform shows for different kontris."

Her viral song "Too Late" bin trend across di world afta one small girl bin dey dance to di lyrics.

She later adopt di young girl wey she dey sponsor her education to di tertiary level.

Di 30-year-old also dey mentor oda young girls for di kontri.

Her oda hit song "Crazy Love" also dey very popular for social media wit TikTok dance challenge.

Dat video bin get millions of views wey di song also get ova 32 million views for YouTube.

Diana Hamilton

Diana Hamilton be di only gospel artiste wey dey di category for artiste of di year.

She get four oda nominations – best gospel artiste, best contemporary gospel song of di year and

For 2021, Diana bin win artiste of di year.

She also win many oda categories later bifor dem bin nominate her again dis time for di artiste of di year category.

Afta her nomination, she tok say, "e dey humbling and exciting" say dem bin nominate her

"I dey tank God for wetin im do and wey I tank everybody wey make pipo hear our songs all dis years."

Diana Hamilton na ogbonge musician wey she organise her own gospel concert wey she describe as "awake experience" for 10 years.

She dey organise some for di UK, US wey she bin dey do some for Accra, Kumasi and Suyani.

Medikal

Medikal get one of di trending songs (Shoulder) for di kontri now.

Across streaming platforms, di song don get di numbers – ova 112 million plays on top Audiomack wit 740,000 monthly listeners.

Im also get oda hit songs like "Fully Active" and "Too Bad" wey both get ova 2 million plays wit ova 270,000 monthly Spotify listeners.

Medikal say im believe say im deserve to win di artiste of di year award sake of im put in di work.

Im get eight nominations wey include di Album/EP of di year, Rap performance of di year, Hiplife/Hip-Hop artiste of di year and most popular song of di year.

Im also dey nominated for collaboration of di year, Hiplife song of di year and music video of di year.

"Ova di last 10 years, I bin dey receive nomination for artiste of di year but I neva campaign for votes. Dis time based on di work we don put for dis craft and di hit singles we don release and di sold-out show I do for di stadium, e dey obvious say I don go above and beyond," di musician tok.

Im believe say im hit song "Shoulder" wey feature Shatta Wale and Beeztrap KOTM go also win most popular song of di year.

"Shoulder be di biggest song for 2025, no be just di numbers dey show but di fact say pipo dey live wit di music, di impact di music make for dia lives. Dat be wen you see say di work be real, di ultimate validation."

Di 33-year-old for one interview wit BBC News Pidgin tok say di industry no get proper structure to support musicians, na so im want make tins to change especially wit royalties, pricing and oda tins for musicians.

Sarkodie

Sarkodie bin return to di artiste of di year category dis year afta im miss out last year.

Bifor dat, dem bin nominate am for di category every time for di past 10 years.

Di rapper na di most decorated musician for Ghana wit over 100 awards but im still dey work hard.

Sarkodie get six nominations for di awards dis year.

Di artiste bin organise im rapperholic concert for 13 years.

Last year, im carry di event go Kumasi for di Ashanti Region wey im host anoda one for London on 6 March dis year.

Sarkodie still dey collaborate wit oda artistes to drop hit songs wey di young ones bin dey see am as role model and inspiration.

Di 40-year-old musician bin dey relevant as one of di most dominant and influential artistes – even though Black Sherif, Stonebwoy and odas dey ahead for streaming numbers and hits, Sarkodie dey remain wetin sabi pipo describe as di shining example of di artiste wit di aura, legacy and impact.

Black Sherif

24-year-old Black Sherif wey win artiste of di year for 2023 don return to di category again dis year.

Many pipo sabi say im be one of di favourites to win am sake of im streaming numbers, hit sings and new album (Iron Boy) wey don dey successful for di year under review.

Black Sherif also tour di world wit concerts wey im get more dan 2.6 million monthly listeners on top Spotify.

Blacko be di most streamed artiste for Ghana wit nine of di top 10 songs, im also cross 100 million Boomplay streams.

On top di streets, Black Sherif get so much love – im get di highest nominations (nine).

Album/EP of di year, Songwriter of di year, Best Hip-Hop song of di year and international collaboration.

Di odas be best music video, best male vocal performance and most popular song of di year.

Di "Sacrifice" hitmaker say im dey "ready for di event.

"We dey go have fun for di event, sake of we don put in di work wey we dey on some mission," Blacko tok local media Joy FM.

Stonebwoy

Di 2015 and 2024 artiste of di year dey hope to win im record third award afta anoda great year when im put in di work.

Stonebwoy get eight nominations for di awards dis year – EP of di year (Torcher), Best Reggae/Dancehall artiste of di year, Best Reggae/Dancehall song of di year.

Di odas be songwriter of di year, best music video, best Afropop song and collaboration of di year.

Di 38-year-old wey bin win Reggae/Dancehall artiste of di year for 10 years say im put in di work to serve to win di artiste of di year dis year also.

Im also organise im own concert (BHIM concert) for 10 years wey dey gada thousands of pipo every year.

Since im win di artiste of di year award for 2024, im bin remain consistent wey im dey nominated for di 2025 edition and now di 2026 edition.

Apart from local shows, Stonebwoy bin carry im music tour di world wey im play many concerts for Europe and America.

Stonebwoy also bin perform for di Afcon 2025 fan zone for Morocco togeda wit oda ogbonge musicians from Africa.

Criteria to win artiste of di year and four oda key categories

Di Ghana music awards scheme describe di artiste of di year as artiste wit di highest audience appeal and popularity for di year under review.

Di artiste get to release hit single/EP/Album wey e gatz be one of di artiste wit di highest nominations for di year under review.

Most popular song of di year be song adjudged by Academy, Board and public as di most popular commercially released song for di year under review.

Di song get to generate di most excitement wey e get to enjoy a lot of patronage from di public.

Album/EP of di year be di body of work wey di Academy, Board and public decide say e be di most outstanding compilation (either by number of hit songs on top di album or quality of di production) wey dem commercially release for di year under review.

Dis year, di winner for dis category go get GHC 100,000 ($9k) prize money from Guinness Ghana to support production of dia next project.

Record of di year dey adjudged by Academy, Board and public as di most outstanding artistic song wey dem commercially release for di year under review.

Di record go get quality production to stand a chance to win even if di music neva get commercial success.

Di oda category be di Best new artiste – judged by Academy, Board and public as di most promising emerging artiste wit di highest audience appeal and popularity.

Di award dey go to artiste wey be new for di industry wey release hit single/EP/Album wey establish dia public identity for di year under review.

Any artiste wey get previous nomination no dey qualified, na so any artiste wey bin breakaway from a group wey already get nomination for oda categories, no dey qualified.

Full list of nominees

Best Hiplife Song

Medikal Ft. Shatta Wale & Beeztrap KOTM – Shoulder

Fameye ft. Medkikal – Habit

Kojo Cue Ft AraThejay & Ofori Amponsah – Tontonte

Kojo Blak Ft Sarkodie – Next Door

Sarkodie Ft Kweku Flick – Messiah

Kwesi Amewuga – Badness

Best Hiplife/Hip-hop Artiste of the Year

Black Sherif

Medikal

Kweku Smoke

Sarkodie

Kojo Cue

O'Kenneth

Best Highlife Artiste of the Year

Fameye

King Paluta

Kwabena Kwabena

Kofi Kinaata

Kuami Eugene

Best Female Vocal Performance of the Year

Enam – Amin

Grace Charles (Team Eternity Ghana) – See Me Through

Niiella – Show me how to Love

Cina Soul – Breath

Lordina The Saprano – Beni Tookw3loji

Best Highlife Song of the Year

Kofi Kinaata – It is Finished

King Paluta – Foko

Kwabena Kwabena Ft Stonebwoy & Kofi Kinaata – Asor Remix

Amerado – Obi Adi

Kuami Eugene – Do Better

Best Traditional Gospel Song

Joyce Blessing Ft. King Paluta – Correct

Piesie Esther – Nyame Ye

Mabel Okyere – So far So Good

Kofi Owusu Peprah Ft Dian Hamilton – Maseda

Celestine Donkor Ft Diana Hamilton – Akorfala

Paul Enana – Baba God

Best HipHop Song of the Year

Black Sherif – Where Dem Boys

O'Kenneth – Balacianga

Sarkodie Ft Kweku Smoke – Violence

Kweku Smoke – Adu The Borga

Gona Boy – Same Timbs

Lalid – Matter

Best Afrobeats Song of the Year

Kojo Blakk Ft Kelvin Boy – Excellent

Kidi Ft Olive The Boy & Kojo Blakk – Gyamnastic

Wendy Shay Ft Olive The Boy – Crazy Love

Mr Drew Ft OliveTheBoy – OMG

Lasmid Ft King Promise – Issues

Best Afropop Song of the Year

Black Sherif – Sacrifice

StoneBwoy – Gidi Gidi

OliveTheBoy Ft Sarkodie – Bend

Gyakie – Sankofa

Lasmid – Olivia

King Promise Ft Mr Eazi – See What We've Done

Best Music Video of the Year

Kojo Blak Ft Kelvin Boy – Excellent

Directed By – Henry Akrong

Black Sherif Sacrifice

Directed By – Meekah Jagun

Medikal – Welcome to Africa

Directed By – Xbills Ebenezer

StoneBwoy – Shine

Directed By – Yaw Skyface

Samini Ft Soweto mass choir – Chaana

Directed By – Yaw Skyface

AraTheJay – Put am on God

Directed By – David Duncan

Best Male Vocal Performance of the Year

Asiama – Akoma

Deon Boakye – "Time LiveSessions"

Perez Musik – By Prayer

Josh Blakk – Catch-22

Carl Clottey – Yehowa

Best Afrobeats/AfroPop Artiste of the Year

Wendy Shay

KiDi

Kojo Blak

OliveTheBoy

Gyakie

Moliy

Best Rap Performance of the Year

Strongman – Mensei Da

Kojo Cue – Abebrese

Lyrical Joe – 5th August 9

Joe Kay – 4GG (For Gods Glory)

Medikal – Welcome to America

Sarkodie – Violence

Best Highlife Artiste of the Year

Fameye

King Paluta

Kwabena Kwabena

Kinaata

Kuami Eugena

Song Writer of the Year

Black Sherif – Sacrifice

Kofi Kinaata – Have Mercy II

Cofi Boham – Take me Home

Kojo Cue – Abebrese

Akwaboah – Obi Nim (Obinim)

Stonebwoy – Send Them a Prayer

Collaboration of the Year

Kojo Blak Ft Kelvin Boy – Excellent

Kidi Ft OliveTheBoy & Kojo Blak – Gymnastic

Wendy Shay Ft OliveTheBoy – Crazy Love

Sarkodie Ft Kweku Smoke – Violence

Medikal Ft Shatta Wale & Beeztrap – Shoulder

Kwabena Kwabena Ft Stonebwoy & Kofi Kinaata – Asor Remix

Group of the year

Soul Winners

Lali x Lola

Keche

Bethel Revival Choir

International Collaboration of the Year

Moliy Ft Shenseea, Skillbeng & Silent Addy – Shake it to the Max

Black Sherif Ft Fireboy DML – So it Goes

Wendy Shay Ft Bedjine, Phina and Guchi – Too Late Remix

Lasmid Ft TML Vibes – Meet 4 Corner

King Promise Ft Mr Eazi – See What We've Done

Moliy Ft Tyla – Body Go

Best Urban/Contemporary Gospel Song of the Year

Ewura Abena – Ebefa

Kofi Owusu Peprah – Big God Afro

Diana Hamilton Ft Ntokoza Mbambo & Elder Mireku Aha Y3 (The Good Place)

Scott Evans – Ready

Kofi KariKari – Stamina

Carl Clottey Ft Luigi Maclean

Best Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the Year

Samini

Stonebwoy

Ras Kuuku

Best Gospel Artiste of the Year

Piesie Esther

Diana Hamilton

MOG Music

Kofi Owusu Peprah

Mabel Okyere

Nana Yaw Ofori-Attah

Album/EP of the Year

Iron Boy – Black Sherif

Stonebwoy – Torcher

Gyakie – After Midnight

Medikal – Disturbation 2

Wendy Shay – Ready

Kweku Smoke – Walk with Me

Most Popular Song of the Year

Kidi Ft OliveTheBoy & Kojo Blak – Gymnastic

Black Sherif – Sacrifice

Kojo Blak Ft Kelvin Boy – Excellent

Medikal Ft Shatta Wale & Beeztrap – Shoulder

Lasmid – Olivia

Moliy Ft Shenseea, Skillbeng & Silent Addy – Shake it to the Max

Piesie Esther – Nyame Y3

King Paluta -Foko

Best New Artiste of the Year

Kojo Blak

Gona Boy

Lalid

Adom Kiki

Record of the Year

Samini Ft Soweto mass choir – Chaana

Akoma – Asiama

Enam – Afa

Soul Winners Ft Joe Mettle – For my Good

Rama Blak – Kwame Macho

Kwane Kwabena – Enso Nyame Y3

Audio Engineer of the Year Nominees

Francis Kweku Osei – Chaana

Akoma – Kwame Yeboah

Samuel Laryea Otoo – For my Good

KC Beatz – Afa

Robo Dabeat Scientist – Kwame Macho

Daniel Grull – Enso Nyame Y3

Artiste of the Year

Black Sherif

Medikal

Stonebwoy

Wendy Shay

Sarkodie

Diana Hamilton

Di Ghana music Awards show go begin at 7GMT (8WAT)