The winners of the 24th Vodafone Ghana Music Awards have been announced, with Stonebwoy taking home two trophies from the annual presentation ceremony that recognizes exceptional music makers in Ghana.
After having had a phenomenal run in the year under review with the release of notable crossover hits and international tours, the internationally acclaimed recording and performing artist won the VGMA for the coveted “Best Reggae & Dancehall Artiste” of the year, making him the most decorated artist in the category with a total of 7 wins. He claimed victory over Konkarah Jahvybz, Black Sherif, Ras Kuuku, Epixode, Rocky Dawuni, and Samini.
His 2022 afropop single “Therapy” also won the VGMA for “Best Afropop Song” of the year, beating submissions by Black Sherif “Oil In My Head,” KiDi “Blessed” ft. Movado, King Promise “Ten Toes” ft. Omah Lay, Kuami Eugene “Take Away,” Fameye “Thank You,” DopeNation “Gboza,” and Wendy Shay “Survivor.”
In his acceptance speech, Stonebwoy made sure to first dedicate the win to his peers – Samini, Shatta Wale, Ras Kuuku, Epixode, and more – pushing the reggae & dancehall to global stage. “I dedicate this one [award] to all of my soldiers [musicians] who started with me an underground reggae artiste in this country and transitioned on to become a very versatile world commodity,” he said.
He continued by highlighting the vibrant reggae and dancehall scene in Ghana and urging support for it. “I want to say there is a reggae community in Ghana that needs attention, and I am doing my best to project the Ghanaian culture into a global phenomenon.” After thanking the fans who listened and media “when we needed you,” he closed with a powerful statement: “We are all one.”
Now in its 24th edition, the ceremony is the biggest event on the Ghanaian music calendar, recognizing exceptional artistic feats across various genres such as highlife, hiplife, Afropop, and gospel.
STONEBWOY recently released his fifth studio album “5th Dimension”, his first studio collection in three years after the release of Anloga Junction in 2020. The 17-track album incorporates Afrobeats, reggae, dancehall, amapiano, folk, and other genres while leaning primarily toward pop and pop-related themes. The project also boasts features from Nigeria’s Davido, Oxlade, Tiwa Savage, Beninese legend Angélique Kidjo, and South African amapiano progenitor DJ Maphorisa. Others include Shaggy (Jamaica), Dexta Daps (Jamaica), Mereba (US), and Jaz Karis (UK).
STREAM “5Th Dimension” album here: https://stonebwoy.lnk.to/5Dimension
(Source: Gerrard Israel)