Tems, Burna Boy, Others Get Nomination for Trace Awards

The 2025 Trace Awards nominations have been announced, with Nigerian artists shining brightly across several categories. The awards ceremony, set for February 26 in Zanzibar, will be complemented by a music summit celebrating the talent and global influence of African music.

From Burna Boy to Rema, Asake, Tems, and Yemi Alade, Nigerian stars dominate multiple categories. The Song of the Year contenders include hits like Asake and Travis Scott’s “Active,” Rema and Shallipopi’s “Benin Boys,” and Tems’ “Love Me Jeje.” Burna Boy also earns recognition for his track “Higher.”

In the Album of the Year category, Asake’s Lungu Boy, Rema’s HEIS, and Burna Boy’s I Told Them compete alongside Ghanaian projects such as Amaarae’s Fountain Baby, King Promise’s True To Self, and Stonebwoy’s 5th Dimension.

See the full list of 2025 Trace Awards nominations below:

Song of the Year

Tyla – “Jump” (South Africa)

Tyler ICU – “Mnike” (South Africa)

Titom & Yuppe – “Tshwala Bam” (South Africa)

Tamsir x Team Paiya – “Coup du Marteau” (Ivory Coast)

Asake & Travis Scott – “Active” (Nigeria)

Tems – “Love Me Jeje” (Nigeria)

Burna Boy – “Higher” (Nigeria)

Rema & Shallipopi – “Benin Boys” (Nigeria)

Diamond Platnumz – “Komasawa” (Tanzania)

Album of the Year

Burna Boy – I Told Them (Nigeria)

Asake – Lungu Boy (Nigeria) Rema – HEIS (Nigeria)

Josey – Vibration Universelle (Ivory Coast)

Amaarae – Fountain Baby (Ghana)

King Promise – True To Self (Ghana)

Stonebwoy – 5th Dimension (Ghana)

Toofan – Stamina (Togo)

Best Collaboration

Titom & Yuppe ft. Burna Boy – “Tshwala Bam (Remix)” (South Africa/Nigeria)

Neyna & MC Acondize – “Nu Ka Sta Para” (Cape Verde)

Kocee ft. Patoranking – “Credit Alert” (Cameroon/Nigeria)

Asake & Wizkid – “MMS” (Nigeria)

Rema & Shallipopi – “Benin Boys” (Nigeria)

Odumodublvck & Black Sherif – “Woto Woto Seasoning” (Nigeria/Ghana)

Tamsir & Team Paiya – “Coup du Marteau” (Ivory Coast)

Best Male Artist

Rema (Nigeria)

Burna Boy (Nigeria)

Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)

Wizkid (Nigeria)

King Promise (Ghana)

Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)

Asake (Nigeria)

Best Female Artist

Yemi Alade (Nigeria)

Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)

Ayra Starr (Nigeria)

Zuchu (Tanzania)

Simi (Nigeria)

Makhadzi (South Africa)

Josey (Ivory Coast)

Best Music Video

Amaarae – “Co-Star” (Ghana)

Asake – “Lonely At The Top” (Nigeria)

Diamond Platnumz – “Komasawa” (Tanzania)

Tyla – “Jump” (South Africa)

Tiwa Savage ft. Asake – “Loaded” (Nigeria)

Davido – “Feel” (Nigeria)

Rema – “Charm” (Nigeria)

Best New Artist

Shallipopi (Nigeria)

Uncle Waffles (South Africa)

Black Sherif (Ghana)

Spyro (Nigeria)

Kocee (Cameroon)

Teniola Aladese (Nigeria)

Neyna (Cape Verde)

Best Artist (Francophone Africa)

Josey (Ivory Coast)

Didi B (Ivory Coast)

Tayc (Cameroon)

Koffi Olomidé (Congo)

Fally Ipupa (Congo)

Tamsir (Senegal)

Toofan (Togo)

Best Artist (Anglophone Africa)

Rema (Nigeria)

Burna Boy (Nigeria)

Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)

Asake (Nigeria)

Ayra Starr (Nigeria)

Sauti Sol (Kenya)

Amaarae (Ghana)

Best African DJ

Uncle Waffles (South Africa)

DJ Spinall (Nigeria)

DJ Neptune (Nigeria)

DJ Lag (South Africa)

DJ Aroma (Ghana)

DJ Kess (Ghana)

DJ Kaneda (Angola)

Best Artist (Diaspora)

Tems (Nigeria/USA)

Burna Boy (Nigeria/USA)

Tiwa Savage (Nigeria/UK)

J Hus (UK)

Headie One (UK)

Stormzy (UK)

Aya Nakamura (France)

 

 

 

 

 

Bellanaija/Oluchi