Full List of Winners of the AFRIMA Awards 2021
The 2021 AFRIMA awards were held in Lagos, Nigeria, and featured some of the best-natured talents across the African music industry gracing the occasion.
The glamorous night now, with an event tailored to recognize and celebrate standout achievements within African music, has witnessed to electrifying performances, historic wins, and industry-defining moments.
The night's highlights included the victory of the 13-year-old gospel sensation Shanah Manjeru, who became the youngest recipient of the AFRIMA award.
With her huge talent and dedication to gospel music, she obtained the Best African Female Artiste in Inspirational Music Award for such great talent, making her an inspirational icon among many young musicians across the continent.
The event was full of sound, with the strict eclecticism of African music-from Afrobeat to R&B, through gospel, hip-hop, and many others.
The list of winners was a real testament to talents that currently exist in Africa, with artistic names from different regions winning based on their contribution to the music industry.
AFRIMA 2021 Winners
- Best African Female Artiste in Inspirational Music – Shanah Manjeru
- Best African Male Artiste in Inspirational Music – Iba One
- Best Artiste, Duo, or Group in African R&B Soul – Nikita Kering
- Best Artist or Duo in African Dance or Choreography – Flavour, Diamond Platnumz, Fally Ipupa
- Best Female Artist in the Diaspora – Naomi Achu
- Best Artiste, Duo, or Group in African Pop – Iba One
- Best Group – Sauti Sol
- Best Collaboration – Wizkid, Tems
- Best African Rapper Lyricist – Elow'n
- Best Female Artiste in Northern Africa – Manal Benchlikha
- Best Male Artist in Northern Africa – Dizzy Dros
- Best Male Artiste in Eastern Africa – Eddy Kenzo
- Best Female Artist in Central Africa – Shan L
- Best Female Artist in East Africa – Nikita Kering
- Best Male Artiste in Central Africa – Fally Ipupa
- Best Male Southern Africa – Blaq Diamond
- Best Male Artiste in Western Africa – Iba One
A Night of Memorable Performances
The night was beyond recognition but a celebration of the culture and music of Africa.
The stage had electrifying performances by some of Africa's biggest stars, keeping the audience standing on their feet.
Artists like Patoranking, Chike, Olakira, and Zuchu thrilled the audience with their energy-filled and soul-stirring performances, representing the richness of African music.
Another highlight of the night was the presence of Fireboy DML, this year's winner of the Best Duo in the African Hip-Hop category, alongside Cheque.
Fireboy did not fail to pay his respects to the Nigerian rapper Olamide for having shaped his career and mentored him on the pathway to success.
His humble speech moved a lot of young artists who look up to industry legends for motivation.
Female Artists Dominating AFRIMA 2021
The strong presence of female artists was one sure takeaway from the AFRIMA 2021 awards.
It has been a record year of barrier-breaking by women in the African music industry, and this year's AFRIMA showed their growing influence.
Nikita Kering is a Kenyan singer who went home with two major awards:
Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African R&B Soul, and Best Female Artist in East Africa.
Her incredible voice and unique style of music have made her one of the top rising stars in the continent.
The other highlight of victory was Shanah Manjeru, whose historical feat as the youngest AFRIMA award winner set a new record in the history of the event.
This young girl's commitment to gospel music at this tender age proves that age cannot be a deterrent to success in the music world.
AFRIMA's Impact on African Music
All Africa Music Awards has continuously been pivotal to ensuring that African music plays at the forefront of global entertainment.
While AFRIMA aims to honor super-talented talents in different regions and varieties of music, the franchise is said to help reveal to the world Africa's great diverse culture of music.
It also provides an avenue for them to network with other artists, collaborate, and get promoted beyond their shores.
For many talented artists, winning at AFRIMA is never just about clutching that trophy but the key to bigger things in their careers.
Looked Ahead to AFRIMA 2022
As the 2021 edition of AFRIMA draws to a close, music lovers and industry enthusiasts are already looking forward to the next edition.
Considering how African music is increasingly receiving more international attention, the 2022 AFRIMA awards promise to be bigger and better.
Fans are expecting more history-making performances, breaking records, and celebration of the continent's musical excellence.
Meanwhile, African artists will keep pushing boundaries, make timeless music, and build on the success of AFRIMA 2021.
African music influence is spiraling globally, and events like the AFRIMA have become very important to ensure that African artists are accorded the recognition they deserve.
Summary
AFRIMA 2021 was one of those nights full of celebration, recognition, and history-making moments.
From young talents like Shanah Manjeru setting records to established stars like Wizkid, Tems, and Sauti Sol receiving top honors, the event showcased the best of African music.
Stellar performances, emotional speeches, and well-deserved wins saw AFRIMA 2021 go down as one of the most prestige music awards in Africa so far.