The Grand Arena at the Accra International Conference Centre was electric last night as the 26th Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) celebrated the best in Ghanaian music for 2024.
The star-studded event, marked by vibrant performances and high-fashion moments, crowned King Promise as the Artiste of the Year, capping a night of well-deserved victories for the afrobeats sensation.
King Promise, known for his global hit “Terminator,” clinched the prestigious Artiste of the Year award on his second consecutive nomination, beating out heavyweights like Stonebwoy, Black Sherif, King Paluta, Kweku Smoke, Joe Mettle, and gospel group Team Eternity.
His win was a testament to his massive audience appeal, chart-topping releases, and international presence, including his “True to Self” world tour across cities like Tokyo, Paris, and Detroit.
“This is for my fans who’ve been with me through it all,” King Promise said, accepting the award to roaring applause. His PR team, led by Tilly Akua Nipaa, played a key role in amplifying his 2024 achievements, which also earned him 10 nominations.
The night wasn’t just about King Promise. The 26th TGMA honoured a diverse array of talents across genres, from hiplife to gospel. Here’s a rundown of the major winners:
Artiste of the Year
Winner: King Promise
Nominees: Stonebwoy, Black Sherif, King Paluta, Kweku Smoke, Joe Mettle, Team Eternity
Most Popular Song of the Year
Winner: King Paluta – “Aseda”
Nominees: KiDi feat. Black Sherif – “Lomo Lomo”, Rap Fada feat. King Paluta – “Odo Bi Ye Bad”, Sarkodie feat. Beeztrap KOTM – “Amen”, Joe Mettle feat. Sandra Boakye Duah – “Give Me Oil”
Best Afropop Song of the Year
Winner: King Promise – “Paris”
Nominees: Camidoh – “Sugarcane Remix”, KiDi – “Lomo Lomo”, Wendy Shay – “Who Cares”, Lasmid – “Puul”, Kuami Eugene – “Canopy”
Best Afrobeats/Afropop Artiste of the Year
Winner: King Promise
Nominees: KiDi, Camidoh, Wendy Shay, Kuami Eugene, Olivetheboy
Album/EP of the Year
Winner: King Promise – True to Self
Nominees: Stonebwoy – Up & Running, King Paluta – Give Time Some Time, Kofi Kinaata – Kofi oo Kofi, Kweku Smoke – Kweku Jesus, Team Eternity – Testimony
Best Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the Year
Winner: Stonebwoy
Nominees: Ras Kuuku, Jupitar, Samini, Epixode, Rocky Dawuni
Songwriter of the Year
Winner: Kofi Kinaata – “Saman”
Nominees: Joe Mettle – “Give Me Oil”, King Paluta – “Aseda”, Sarkodie – “Otan”, Team Eternity – “Defe Defe”
Best Hiplife/Hiphop Artiste of the Year
Winner: King Paluta
Nominees: Sarkodie, Medikal, Strongman, Eno Barony, Kweku Smoke
Best Gospel Artiste of the Year
Winner: Joe Mettle
Nominees: Team Eternity, Empress Gifty, Nacee, Diana Hamilton, Perez Musik
Best Male Vocal Performance
Winner: Joe Mettle
Nominees: Perez Musik, MOGmusic, Kidi, Camidoh, Fameye
Best Hiplife Song
Winner: Tulenkey & Beeztrap – “Bad Feeling”
Nominees: Guru – “Samba”, Medikal – “Alpha Hour”, Kweku Smoke – “Santo”, Strongman – “Transformer”, Okyeame Kwame – “Insha Allah”
Best Highlife Song
Winner: King Paluta – “Aseda”
Nominees: Kofi Kinaata – “Saman”, Akwaboah – “You Know”, Kuami Eugene – “Canopy”, Amerado – “Kwaku Ananse”, Daddy Lumba – “Gyama Ababilwe”
Best Gospel Song
Winner: Empress Gifty – “Watch Me”
Nominees: Team Eternity – “Defe Defe”, Joe Mettle – “Give Me Oil”, Diana Hamilton – “My Meditation”, Perez Musik – “Hewale Lala”, Nacee – “Aseda”
Record of the Year
Winner: Ayisi – “Can I Live”
Nominees: Sarkodie – “Otan”, Okyeame Kwame – “Insha Allah”, Kofi Kinaata – “Saman”, King Paluta – “Aseda”