The 26th Ghana Music Awards was a night of surprises. Sarkodie took Artiste of the Year for the fourth time, a teenage newcomer stunned the rap category, and the crowd had a lot to say about it.
The 26th Ghana Music Awards held at the Accra International Conference Centre on Friday night did not disappoint — unless you backed Gyakie for Artiste of the Year, in which case you had a very long walk to the car park.
Sarkodie's fourth Artiste of the Year award was the headline result, cementing his position as the most decorated artist in the history of the awards. He accepted the trophy with a typically measured speech that name-checked his Tema upbringing, his late friend Castro, and "everyone who told me no."
The night's biggest upset came in the Rap Performance category, where 17-year-old Ksi Mensah — performing under the name YUNG NKRUMAH — beat out established names including Amerado and Medikal. His acceptance speech, delivered entirely in Twi, brought the house down.
Stonebwoy won Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the Year for the third consecutive time, while Wendy Shay took both R&B Artiste and fans' choice. Highlife Artist of the Year went to Kuami Eugene, who dedicated his award to "the aunties and grandmothers who taught me what the music really is."
Full winners list: Artiste of the Year — Sarkodie | Song of the Year — "Fancy" (Amaarae) | Album of the Year — Stonebwoy "5th Dimension" | New Artiste of the Year — Ksi Mensah | Highlife — Kuami Eugene | Reggae/Dancehall — Stonebwoy
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Kwame Asante
Kwame covers the Ghanaian music and film scene with a sharp ear for what resonates with young audiences. Based in Accra, he has interviewed over 200 artists across West Africa.
