Trace Awards: Rema wins Song of the Year over Davido and Burna Boy

While Burna Boy won the Album of the Year award for his “Love Damini” album, Davido returned home beaming with two trophies for “Best Male” and “Best Collaboration.”

Rema, a generally recognised Nigerian rapper, musician, and composer, defeated Burna Boy and Davido, two of his more experienced musical peers, to win the Song of the Year prize at the recently held 2023 Trace Awards.

Musicians, performers, fans, and other interested parties travelled to Rwanda for the awards ceremony on Saturday.

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Rema, who is well-known for the number-one single Calm Down, was also named the Best Global African Artist of the Year. Despite being nominated in the same category as Burna Boy, Davido, and Wizkid, the Mavin signee triumphed over the other nominees.

While Burna Boy won the Album of the Year award for his “Love Damini” album, Davido returned home beaming with two trophies for “Best Male” and “Best Collaboration.”

Here is the complete list of 2023 Trace Award winners:

Year’s Best Album

DNK – Aya Nakamura (France)

WINNER: Love Damini – Burna Boy (Nigeria)

Maverick – Kizz Daniel (Nigeria)

More Love, Less Ego – Wizkid (Nigeria)

Timeless – Davido (Nigeria)

Work of Art – Asake (Nigeria)

Song of the Year

“BKBN” – Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)

“People” – Libianca (Cameroon)

“Suavemente” – Soolking (France)

“Encre” – Emma’a (Gabon)

“Sugarcane” – Camidoh (Ghana)

“Last Last” – Burna Boy (Nigeria)

“Rush” – Ayra Starr (Nigeria)

WINNER: “Calm Down” – Rema (Nigeria)

“Peru” – Fireboy DML (Nigeria) with Ed Sheeran (UK)

“Sete” – K.O (South Africa)

“Cough” – Kizz Daniel (Nigeria)

“MORTEL 06” – Innoss’B (DRC)

Best Music Video

“2 Sugar” – Wizkid (Nigeria) feat. Ayra Starr (Nigeria)

WINNER: “Baddie” – Yemi Alade (Nigeria)

“Kpaflotage” – Suspect 95 (Ivory Coast)

“Loaded” – Tiwa Savage(Nigeria) & Asake (Nigeria)

“Ronda” – Blxckie (South Africa)

“Tombolo” – Kalash (Martinique)

Yatapita” – Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)

Best Male

Asake (Nigeria)

Burna Boy (Nigeria)

WINNER: Davido (Nigeria)

Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)

Didi B (Ivory Coast)

K.O (South Africa)

Rema (Nigeria)

Best Female

Ayra Starr (Nigeria)

Josey (Ivory Coast)

Nadia Mukami (Kenya)

Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)

Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)

WINNER: Viviane Chidid (Senegal)

Best Collaboration

“Many Ways” – BNXN (Nigeria) with Wizkid (Nigeria)

“Mine” – Show Dem Camp (Nigeria) with Oxlade (Nigeria)

“Peru” – Fireboy DML (Nigeria) with Ed Sheeran (UK)

“Second Sermon” – Black Sherif (Ghana) with Burna Boy (Nigeria)

“Sete” – K.O (South Africa) with Young Stunna (South Africa), Blxckie (South Africa)

“Stamina” – Tiwa Savage with Ayra Starr (Nigeria) & Young Jonn (Nigeria)

“Trumpet” – Olamide (Nigeria) with Ckay (Nigeria)

WINNER: “Unavailable” – Davido (Nigeria) with Musa Keys (South Africa)

Best Newcomer

Azawi (Uganda)

Krys M (Cameroon)

Libianca (Cameroon)

Nissi (Nigeria)

Odumodublvck (Nigeria)

Pabi Cooper (South Africa)

WINNER: Roseline Layo (Ivory Coast)

Best DJ

Danni Gato (Cape Verde)

DJ BDK (Ivory Coast)

DJ Illans (France)

DJ Spinall (Nigeria)

WINNER: Michael Brun (Haiti)

Uncle Waffles (Swaziland)

Best Producer

DJ Maphorisa (South Africa)

Juls (Ghana)

Kabza de Small (South Africa)

Kel-P (Nigeria)

WINNER: Tam Sir (Ivory Coast)

Best Gospel Artist

Benjamin Dube (South Africa)

Janet Otieno (Kenya)

WINNER: KS Bloom (Ivory Coast)

Levixone (Uganda)

Moses Bliss (Nigeria)

Best Live

Burna Boy (Nigeria)

WINNER: Fally Ipupa (DRC)

Musa Keys (South Africa)

The Compozers (Ghana)

Wizkid (Nigeria)

Yemi Alade (Nigeria)

Best Dancer

WINNER: Robot Boii (South Africa)

Tayc (France)

Uganda Ghetto Kids (Uganda)

Yemi Alade (Nigeria)

Zuchu (Tanzania)

Best Artist Africa – Anglophone

WINNER: Asake (Nigeria)

Ayra Starr (Nigeria)

Black Sherif (Ghana)

Davido (Nigeria)

Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)

Fireboy DML (Nigeria)

Best Artist Africa – Francophone

WINNER: Didi B (Ivory Coast)

Emma’a (Gabon)

Fally Ipupa (DRC)

KO-C (Cameroon)

Locko (Cameroon)

Serge Beynaud (Ivory Coast)

Viviane Chidid (Senegal)

Best Artist Africa – Lusophone

Gerilson Insrael (Angola)

WINNER: Lisandro Cuxi (Cape Verde)

Perola (Angola)

Plutonio (Mozambique)

Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)

Best Artist – Rwanda

Ariel Wayz (Rwanda)

WINNER: Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)

Bwiza (Rwanda)

Chriss Eazy (Rwanda)

Kenny Sol (Rwanda)

Best Artist – East Africa

Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)

WINNER: Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)

Zuchu (Tanzania)

Khaligraph (Kenya)

Nadia Mukani (Kenya)

Azawi (Uganda)

Best Artist – France & Belgium

Aya Nakamura (France)

Booba (France)

Nihno (France)

Ronisia (France)

Soolking (France)

WINNER: Tayc (France)

Best Artist – UK

WINNER: Central Cee (UK)

Headie One (UK)

Ms Banks (UK)

Raye (UK)

Stormzy (UK)

Best Artist – The Caribbean

Admiral T (Guadeloupe)

Bamby (French Guiana)

Kalash (Martinique)

Maureen (Martinique)

Popcaan (Jamaica)

Princess Lover (Martinique)

WINNER: Rutshelle Guillaume (Haiti)

Shenseea (Jamaica)

Best Artist – Indian Ocean

Donovan BTS (Mauritius)

GaEi (Madagascar)

WINNER: Goulam (Comoros)

Mik’l (Reunion)

Sega el (Reunion)

Terrell Elymoor (Mayotte)

Best Artist – Brazil

Djonga (Brazil)

Iza (Brazil)

Leo Santana (Brazil)

WINNER: Ludmilla (Brazil)

Luedji Luna (Brazil)

Best Artist – North Africa

Amira Zouhair (Morocco)

Artmasta (Tunisia)

WINNER: Dystinct (Morocco)

El Grande Toto (Morocco)

Kader Japonais (Algeria)

Raja Meziane (Algeria)