3Music Awards: All the Subplots and Major Talking Points

There’s a reason they call Sarkodie ‘The Highest’. The king has been 15 years in the game and continues to earn the highest number of nominations for most music award schemes nearly every year. Here at the Nominees Announcement for the 5^th Annual 3Music Awards, it was no different. King Sark bagged twelve. The highest!

Sark’s twelve nominations were three more than next most- Kidi and Kuami Eugene. All three are also in line for the most prominent honour of the night- Artiste of the Year ‘22.

The Lynx Entertainment duo remain historically the most ‘friendly rivals’ to ever grace the Ghanaian music space. Both are from the same Record Label, same generation. They attack the same genre- Afrobeats/AfroPop and Highlife, and are inseparably considered the biggest poster boys of the new era.

Headlining the biggest awards events over the past couple of years, Kidi and Kuami Eugene seem to have broken the monotonous dominance of the S Generation- Sarkodie, Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale. The first two are still in contention this year, as are Kuami and Kidi. Neither group bears a clear and absolute favorite for Artiste of the Year. But if any were likely to win, would it be more of the same old for the industry’s veterans, or the plotting of a new era of dominance for the new generation heroes?

This is the most glorious year of Ghanaian music. Little wonder there’s a case to be made for every single one of the nine nominees in the Artiste of the Year category. Gyakie’s emergence was groundbreaking on many levels. Black Sheriff boomeranged. Then there’s the unbelievable year Mr. Drew, DBlack and Celestine Donkor have had. Phew!

Gospel fanatics squabble over how compelling Celestine’s year has been in comparison to others over the past decade. Time will tell considering that the era has also been marked by Patience Nyarko, Akesse Brempong, and the history making duo Joe Mettle and Diana Hamilton. All of these Gospel acts return for another showdown in the category, alongside Ohemaa Mercy, Obaapa Christy and Joyce Blessing. That’s tough.

The Collaboration of the Year category is even more mind-blowing. Not since O’ Level exams have multiple choices been so hard to pick. There are so many top favorites in one set you would think it’s the Expendables.

Last year KiDi emerged Artiste of the Year for his Afrobeats/Pop exploits. This year he misses out altogether on the category. Ten smash hits slug it out for that honour in what has become the nation’s most esteemed genre category. Which of the collaborations with Davido is the greater? Will a song from Kuami Eugene, Kwesi Arthur or King Promise emerge winner? And then there’s Black Avenue Music protégé S3fa up against her boss DBlack.  

In the Reggae/Dancehall Song category, KiDi mischievously makes an appearance. Could he find revenge after Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale famously became two dancehall acts to win Highlife Song of the Year against all the odds or would the duo and Samini have something to say about that?

KiDi’s label mate Kuami Eugene could also potentially emerge Producer of the Year and Artiste of the Year- consequently making him the first musician to ever accomplish the feat. Could Mona 4Real become the first successful socialite cum musician? Who emerges woman of the Year? Is incumbent Eno Barony stacked up enough to withstand the might of Sark, Medikal, Joey B, Strongman, Amerado and Lyrical Joe?

And for those of us into popularity contests, which is your pick for Viral Song of the Year? Who’s got song of the Year: Black Sheriff, KiDi, or other? How would social media respond to whichever wins Fan Army of the Year? And which song out of so many viral bangers takes African Song of the Year: any of Somebody’s Son (Tiwa Savage), Alcohol (Joeboy) and Peru (Fireboy DML) can count themselves severely unlucky to miss out.

The 5^th Annual 3Music Awards is the most anticipated event on the Ghanaian entertainment calendar. The event reverts to a live audience format following a virtual-subjective production over the past two years. The 3Music Board has allegedly engaged event organizers for the surreal Wildaland Festival to help with content and production.

Fans are curious to discover if this year’s live audience show will live up to 3Music Awards’ worthy reputation as the most revolutionary awards event on the continent.

Thanks to HD+ and Ballantine’s Scotch Whisky, we will learn all the answers.  It’s the 5^th Annual 3Music Awards at the Grand Arena of the Conference Centre on the night of March 26, 2022. History is coming…!