List Of All VGMA Artiste Of The Year Winners From 1999 To 2023; Plus Who Has Won The Most Awards?

post by: Dwomoh Darlingberg for thedistin.com.
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Black Sherif won his first VGMA Artist of the Year award at the 24th edition of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards in 2023. But, who are all the winners for the biggest category ‘Artist Of The Year‘ from inception to present?

Vodafone Ghana Music Awards shortened as VGMA is an annual ceremony to honor Ghanaian creatives, specifically, in the music industry. Initially, it was known as Ghana Music Awards and it changed to MTN Ghana Music Awards and is currently known as the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMAs). The network providers’ names attached mean they sponsor the events seasonally.

The yearly music awards event in Ghana was established in 1999 by a local event organizer and planner company known as CharterHouse to originally and primarily celebrate the “outstanding contributions of Ghanaian musicians to the growth and expansion of its associated industry”.

Categories like “Song of the Year”, “Rapper of the Year”, “Best Collaboration of the Year”, “Reggae-Dancehall Artiste of the Year” and “Best New Artiste of the Year” have generated a lot of conversations and controversies, and widely debated over the years.

However, the conversations and controversies surrounding the “Artiste of the Year” – the topmost category – have been overwhelming.

All the years have winners for the topmost category, however, in 2019, it was annulled due to a brawl that broke out between controversial dancehall stars, Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale, to the extent of one of them brandishing a gun on live television.

What Tv station can you watch VGMA on? Mostly held each April, May, or June, the event is broadcasted locally on GHOne TV, GTV, and/or TV3 and outside Ghana on Akwaaba Magic on satellite TV platform DStv and terrestrial TV platform GOtv. Prior to the launch of the Akwaaba Magic channel in 2021, the event was broadcast outside Ghana on channels 155 and 198 on DStv and on channel 110 on GOtv.

Where does VGMA take place? The inaugural ceremony in 1999 was held at the National Theatre of Ghana in Accra until 2004 when it moved to the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), and it has been held there ever since. With the exception of the 2010, 2011, and 2012 editions of the event which were held at the Dome of the AICC, the event since the move to the AICC was held at its Main Hall until 2018. Since 2019, the event has been held at the Grand Arena (then/previously the New Dome) still at the AICC.

Who are all the winners of the “Artist of the Year” category since inception?

Amongst all the categories under VGMA, the Artist of the Year award is the highest and most prestigious of the awards given at the event given to the artist(s) adjudged by the CharterHouse, the VGMA Board, and the general public as having the highest audience appeal, radio play, online streaming, and popularity. The artist(s) must have a released hit single/album during the year under review to qualify/be eligible.

Who won VGMA Artist of the Year in 2023? The 24th edition of the VGMA took place on Saturday (6th May 2023) and at the climax of the event, young entertainer, Black Sherif emerged as the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards Artist of the Year, a battle he fought against Piesie Esther.

From 1999 to 2023 – here are all the past and present Artist of the Year award winners:

  1. 1999-Akyeame (Quophi Okyeame and Okyeame Kwame)
  2. 2000: Daddy Lumba
  3. 2001: Kojo Antwi
  4. 2002: Lord Kenya
  5. 2003: Kontihene
  6. 2004: V.I.P
  7. 2005: Bice Osei Kuffour
  8. 2006: Ofori Amponsah
  9. 2007: Samini
  10. 2008: Kwaw Kese
  11. 2009: Okyeame Kwame
  12. 2010: Sarkodie
  13. 2011: V.I.P
  14. 2012: Sarkodie
  15. 2013: R2Bees
  16. 2014: Shatta Wale
  17. 2015: Stonebwoy
  18. 2016: E.L
  19. 2017: Joe Mettle
  20. 2018: Ebony Reigns
  21. 2019: Unannounced
  22. 2020: Kuami Eugene
  23. 2021: Diana Hamilton
  24. 2022: KiDi
  25. 2023: Black Sherif

Who has won the most VGMA awards? Rapper Sarkodie has been the only musician from Ghana with the most awards both locally and internationally. He has won 20 Ghana Music Awards and received 70 nominations, per Yen.com.

Which Ghanaian has won Grammy? The Grammy Award, or just Grammy, is an award presented by the Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievements in the music industry of the United States. No musician from the Ghanaian industry has ever won a Grammy. Rocky Dawuni, a Ghanaian singer, songwriter, and record producer is the only artist with a total of three-time Grammy-nominee. Indirectly, Fuse ODG, Stonebwoy, and Kill Beatz have won Grammys after songs and albums they were featured on won the prestigious award.