Editor… Nominee List Expected In September
THE International Committee of All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) says it has received 8,880 entries for its 2021 Awards despite the negative impact of COVID-19 on culture and creative industry.
The African Union Commission (AUC) and AFRIMA said it was a record number of entries since the inception of the continental awards in 2014.
According to the organisers of the award, the entry is 8.86% higher than the 2019 edition.
Now in its eighth year, AFRIMA, which recognises African music globally honours African artistes, music producers, songwriters, video directors, Disc Jockeys, choreographers/dancers, and movie/film producers in the continent or in the Diaspora as well as international acts with the 23.9 carat gold-plated AFRIMA trophy.
The organisers say this year’s entries were received from 50 African countries across the five regions of Africa and 10 countries from Europe and North America including Spain, United Kingdom (UK), United States of America (USA), France and Portugal, among others.
“The increased interest in the awards is a clear indication that AFRIMA, a platform of bringing Africans together through the instrumentality of music and culture, is growing immensely across Africa and globally, which is a very important goal for us.
Also, it is a signal that artists and actors in the music industry are becoming resilient in the face of global challenges,” the Head of Culture, African Union Commission, Angela Martins said.
Entries for the longest-running African continental awards in the last decade, which opened worldwide to artistes on June 1, 2021 and closed on August 20, 2021, is higher than 2019 submissions of 8,157.
The award could not hold in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Head of Communication and Partnership, AFRIMA, Zineb Seyad, said, “We are encouraged by the number of entries received for the 2021 AFRIMA.
Of the 8,880 entries submitted this year, West Africa leads the pack with 30.4% of the total entries followed by Eastern Africa with 28.8%, Southern Africa with 22.9%, Central Africa and North Africa and international acts have 12.3%, 4.9% and 0.7% respectively.
The International Jury of AFRIMA had announced additional three new categories for 2021 edition, which included best soundtrack in a movie/series/documentary film, best global act, and breakout artiste of the year (Renaming Most Promising Artist).
Following the end of the AFRIMA 2021 entry submission, a 13-man International Jury of AFRIMA will arrive Lagos on August 29, 2021 for the weeklong adjudication process.
The AFRIMA Jury’s responsibility involves screening, categorising, assessing, grading, and selecting the nominees into the 40 different regional and continental awarding categories.
After the process is concluded, the 2021 Nominees’ List will be unveiled during a World Media Conference in the second week of September, 2021, while public voting will follow immediately.
AFRIMA, in partnership with the African Union Commission is the ultimate recognition of African music globally.
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