As we approach the main event of the Vodafone Ghana music awards, I deem it necessary to talk about the artiste who deserves the Ultimate award of the night which is the artiste of the year accolade and other categories.
Many potent names have surfaced as the prospective winners of the prestigious award with names like: Stonebwoy, Medikal, Joe Mettle and Sarkodie making the list though there are other names like EL, Mz Vee at that same category.
STONEBWOY: Though the reggae dancehall artiste Stonebowy worked harder last year and deserves to be nominated in this year’s artiste of the year, probability of winning is very low comparing him to the other artiste in the same category. His songs released, appeal in 2016 can’t work the magic as he did in 2015.
SARKODIE: Undoubtedly Michael Kwesi Owusu Addo popularly known as Sarkodie stands the chance of winning the Vodafone Ghana music awards artiste of the year for the third time. Considering the criteria, the rapper deserves the crown though there are other nominees who can match up to him. He is among the favorite three who has been tipped by most industry players to win the ultimate award.
MEDIKAL: Being a new artiste and having nomination at the artiste of the year is not new in the history of the Vodafone Ghana music awards. In 2010, rapper Sarkodie was nominated in the new artiste of the year and the overall artiste of the year and he won both. Can Medikal win artiste of the year? Yes, he has a hit song, ‘too risky’ and has the audience appeal which automatically qualifies him as an artiste who is likely to take home the ultimate award.
JOE METTLE: Many industry players don’t want to believe that gospel artiste Joe Mettle can win the overall artiste of the year category because in 2016 he didn’t work harder . Others are of the opinion that Joe Mettle performed on almost all gospel related platforms in and outside the country, though he didn’t have a hit song. Can Joe Mettle be the first gospel artiste to win VGMA artiste of the year, yes it is possible.
EL: Though people criticized him last year as the ultimate winner, it was a big plus to his career which inspired him to release arguably his hit song ‘kaabu ame’ in 2016. EL cannot defend his title this year because personally, I feel his zeal and energy depreciated for a time. Irrespective of the fact that he released an album, organized his own show and performed on other bigger platforms, EL comes no near the ultimate this year though organizers can pull surprises, this wouldn’t be one of it.
MZ VEE: The only female artiste nominated in this category has been heavily criticized by colleague musicians that she doesn’t deserve the nomination in the artiste of the year category. Talking of artiste who has the lowest appeal among the names in the overall artiste of the year is Mz Vee.
Below is my opinion of nominees and awards they are likely to win.
Artiste of the year- Joe Mettle
Vodafone song of the year- Christy -Dobble
Best New artiste of the year- Medikal
Gospel artist of the year- Joe Mettle
Gospel song of the year- Yewo Nyame a Yewo adze – Nacee
High life song of the year- Confession – Kofi Kinaata
High life artiste of the year- Kofi Kinaata
Hip hop song of the year- God Mc – Manifest
Hiplife/hip hop artiste of the year- Guru
Hip life song- Go Low – Flowking Stone
Afro pop song of the year- Solo – Article Wan
Best rapper of the year- Sarkodie- Fire bon dem remix
Best collaboration of the year- Yewo Nyame a Yewo adze- Nacee ft. Ernest Opoku
Best group of the year- VVIP
Best reggae/dancehall artiste of the year- Stonebwoy
Best reggae/dancehall song of the year- Nwasina- Ras Kuuku ft Luther
Album of the year- Counselor- Nacee
Best male vocalist- Joe Mettle
Best female vocalist- Adina – Too Late
African artiste of the year- Tekno
Song writer of the year-Joe Mettle – Onwanwani
Producer of the year- Wei ye Oteng- Motromodwo
Engineer of the year – Nacee- Mene woa
Songwriter of the year- Kofi Kinaata- Confession
Record of the year- Motromodwo- Trigmatic ft A.II
Lifetime Achievement award- Paapa Yankson
Instrumentalist of the year Dominic -Guitarist
Best Video- Nyedzilo- Edem ft Reekado Banks- Phamous philms