Tiwa Savage and Yemi Alade nominated for ‘Best Female Artiste’ 2016

This is indeed a battle for
supremacy. Who will win the best female artiste of
the year?
Tiwa savage and Yemi Alade have been nominated
alongside other artistes in the
Best Female Artiste, West Africa category,
respectively for their songs, ‘If I Start to Talk’ and
‘Na Go De’.
The subtle supremacy question between top
Nigerian female hip hop acts, Tiwa Savage and
Yemi Alade, will get a verdict in November when
the grand finale of this year’s All Africa Music
Festival holds in Lagos.
Tiwa Savage is the biggest female artiste in Africa,
with huge crossover. The industry took a shift in
Tiwa’s absence, as Yemi Alade grew in stature
A lot of people agree that Tiwa and Alade have, in
recent years, are among the top artiste helping to
shape the content of Nigerian music.
Although Savage broke into the limelight earlier,
Alade later came in very forcefully and she does
not seem to have dropped since then.
Where Tiwa may have an edge over Yemi in terms
of a piercing voice, Yemi’s songs are usually very
forceful, just as the energy she invests in
performances and videos can be phenomenal.
When AFRIMA’s panel of judges eventually come
up with their judegement on November 16, 2016 it
will be interesting to see where the pendulum will
swing.
Also nominated for the AFRIMA Best Female Artiste
of the Year, West Africa are Aramide, with the
song, I Don’t Care; Niniola, J’ete; Seyi Shay, Right
Now; and Temi Doll Face, School Hour.
Nominated from Senegal is Adiouza, with the
song, Daddy; while Josey is carrying the Ivoriene
flag with her song, Diplome.
The list for the Best Male Artiste, West Africa is
also very interesting. Here Flavour and Wizkid are
in competition with their songs Dance and Final
Baba Nla respectively.
Brymo and Tekno are also in the race with In the
City and Duro, while two Ghanaian stars, Okyeame
and Sarkodie, are shortlisted for their songs,
Small Small and Hand to Mouth.
From Mali, Idikiba & co completes the list with
Confiance.
Many other artistes have been nominated in other
regions of the continent, while the organisers said
nominations in other categories of the competition
would soon be released.
Unveiling the nominees’ list, the African Union
and the 13-man jury expressed excitement at the
quantity and quality of the entries received.
According to the moderator of the adjudication
process, Mr. Mike Strano, about 2,700 entries from
African music professionals were received between
of May 20, 2015 and July 30, 2016 when the
submission lasted.
Describing the nomination process as careful and
thorough, Strano harped on the Jury’s resolve to
be fair and transparent.
He said, “The Jjury is very careful about being
accurate right from the process of verifying
eligibility of entries to the process collating and
finalising results. It is an evolving process but one
we work painstakingly at to ensure transparency
and fairness.”