Tiwa Savage,(L) and Yemi Alade.
The subtle supremacy question between top Nigerian female hip hop acts, Tiwa Savage and Yemi Alade, will get a verdict in November when the grand finale of this year’s All Africa Music Festival holds in Lagos.
Both singers have been nominated alongside other artistes in the Best Female Artiste, West Africa category, respectively for their songs, If I Start to Talk and Na Go De.
Many agree that Tiwa and Alade have, in recent years, been in the vanguard of female artistes that are reshaping the content of Nigerian music.
Although Savage broke into the limelight earlier, Alade later came in very forcefully and she does not seem to have dropped then.
Even where Tiwa may have an edge over her in terms of a piercing voice, Alade’s songs are usually very forceful, just as the energy she invests in performances and videos can be phenomenal.
When AFRIMA’s panel of judges eventually come up with their judegement on November 16, it will be interesting to see where the pendulum will swing.
But this may be an arbitrary observation as there are
other female musicians they are contesting with on the
table
Indeed, based on how some of them are fairing in their recent works, the game may just remain open as the jury would want to say.
Also nominated for the AFRIMA Best Female Artiste of the Year, West Africa are Aramide, with the song, I Don’t Care; Niniola, J’ete; Seyi Shay, Right Now; and Temi Doll Face, School Hour.
Nominated from Senegal is Adiouza, with the song, Daddy; while Josey is carrying the Ivoriene flag with her song, Diplome.
The list for the Best Male Artiste, West Africa is also very interesting. Here Flavour and Wizkid are in competition with their songs Dance and Final Baba Nla respectively.
Brymo and Tekno are also in the race with In the City and Duro, while two Ghanaian stars, Okyeame and Sarkodie, are shortlisted for their songs, Small Small and Hand to Mouth.
From Mali, Idikiba & co completes the list with Confiance.
Many other artistes have been nominated in other regions of the continent, while the organisers said nominations in other categories of the competition would soon be released.
Unveiling the nominees’ list, the African Union and the 13-man jury expressed excitement at the quantity and quality of the entries received.
According to the moderator of the adjudication process, Mr. Mike Strano, about 2,700 entries from African music professionals were received between of May 20, 2015 and July 30, 2016 when the submission lasted.
Describing the nomination process as careful and thorough, Strano harped on the Jury’s resolve to be fair and transparent.
He said, “The Jjury is very careful about being accurate right from the process of verifying eligibility of entries to the process collating and finalising results. It is an evolving process but one we work painstakingly at to ensure transparency and fairness.”
The Punch.
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