The 2025 Telecel Ghana Music Awards ceremony brought together artistes, industry stakeholders, and fans to celebrate excellence in Ghanaian music.
By Abioye Damilare Samson
Ghanaian music artistes: King Promise, Stonebwoy, Kweku Smoke, OlivetheBoy, and others, emerged as major winners at the 26th edition of the Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA), held on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre.
This year’s ceremony brought together artistes, industry stakeholders, and fans to celebrate excellence in Ghanaian music. Following a vibrant red carpet segment, the spotlight shifted to a thrilling night of award presentations and performances.
King Promise led the night with multiple wins, including the coveted Artiste of the Year, Best Afro-Pop Song for “Paris”, and Best Album/EP of the Year for his critically acclaimed project, True To Self, cementing his status as one of Ghana’s most influential Afro-Pop stars.
Kweku Smoke also had a remarkable night, clinching three awards for Best Rap Performance, Best Hip-Hop Song (both for Holy Ghost), and Best Hiplife/Hip-Hop Artiste, in a powerful showing that cemented his place in Ghana’s rap music scene.
OlivetheBoy also earned notable recognition, winning Best Afrobeats Song with his breakout single “Asylum”, a track that has enjoyed massive airplay and chart success. In the African Song of the Year category, the viral hit “TSHWALABAM” by Titom featuring S.N.E, Yuppe, and Burna Boy clinched the award.
Organised under the auspices of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the TGMA has, over 25 years, evolved into a prestigious festival that honours artistic brilliance and contributes to Ghana’s cultural diplomacy.
The event also underscored the TGMA’s commitment to celebrating diverse sounds, empowering emerging talents, and showcasing Ghana’s impact on the global music map.
Here’s the full list of winners announced at the 26th Telecel Ghana Music Awards:
Artiste of the Year
King Promise – Winner
Stonebwoy
Black Sherif
Kweku Smoke
Joe Mettle
King Paluta
Team Eternity
Best Afro-Pop Song
King Promise – “Paris” – Winner
Kwesi Arthur – “Fefe NE Fe”
Stonebwoy – “Jejereje”
Black Sherif – “January 9”
Smallgod Ft Black Sherif – “Fallen Angel”
Arathejay Ft Black Sherif – “Jesus Christ 2”
Collaboration of the Year
Kidi Ft Black Sherif – “Lomo Lomo” – Winner
Beeztrap Kotm & Oseikrom Osikani – “Fly Girl”
King Promise Ft Sarkodie & Olivetheboy – “Favourite Story”
Rap Fada Ft King Paluta – “Obo Bi Ye Bad”
Sarkodie Ft Beeztrap Kotm – “Amen”
Joe Mettle Ft Sandra Boakye Duah – “Give Me Oil”
Record of the Year
Ayisi – “Can I Live” – Winner
Kofi Kinaata – “Auntie AMA”
Smallgod Ft Black Sherif – “Fallen Angel”
Kwabena Kwabena – “Fakye Me”
Kweku Smoke – “Holy Ghost”
Best Traditional Gospel Song
Empress Gifty – “Watch Me” – Winner
Mog Music – “Wo Ye”
Piesie – “Ateene”
Diana Hamilton – “The Doing of the Lord”
Mavis Asante – “Victory”
Queendalyn Ft Judikay – “Omewoya”
Best Urban Contemporary Gospel Song
“Defe Defe” – Team Eternity Ghana – Winner
“Call” – Scott Evans
“Give Me Oil” – Joe Mettle Ft Sandra Boakye Duah
“Owanwani” – Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta
“Cast Your Burden” – Kobby Salm Ft s.o.n Music
“Dry Bones” – Ohemaa Mercy Ft Kofi Owusu Peprah
Best Gospel Artiste
Joe Mettle – Winner
Piesie Esther
Empress Gifty
Diana Hamilton
Team Eternity Ghana
MOG Music
Best Reggae/Dancehall Song
Stonebwoy – “Psalm 23” – Winner
Amerado Ft Samini – “Ankonam Remix”
Ras Kuuku – “Road of Evil”
Samini – “Chemistry”
Jupitar – “I Keep Winning”
Moliy & Silent Addy – “Shake It to the Ma”
Best Reggae/Dancehall Artiste
Stonebwoy – Winner
Jupitar
Samini
Ras Kuuku
Epixode
Rocky Dawuni
Telecel Most Popular Song
King Paluta – “Aseda” – Winner
Olivetheboy – “Asylum”
Kidi Ft Black Sherif – “Lomo Lomo”
Lasmid – “Puul”
Black Sherif – “January 9”
King Promise – “Paris”
Team Eternity – “Defe Defe”
Stonebwoy – “Jejereje”
Songwriter of the Year
Kofi Kinaata – “Saman” – Winner
Ayisi – “Can I Live”
Okyeame Kwame – “No Competition”
Olivetheboy – “Asylum”
Team Eternity Ghana – “Defe Defe”
Highlife Song of the Year
King Paluta – “Aseda” – Winner
Kuami Eugene – “Canopy”
Fameye – “Very Soon”
Amerado – “Abronoma”
Rap Fada Ft King Paluta – “Odo Bi Ye Bad”
Kofi Kinaata – “Effiakuma Broken Heart”
Hiplife Song of the Year
Tulenkey Ft Beeztrap Kotm – “Bad Feeling” – Winner
Eno Barony Ft King Paluta – “Soja Go Soja Come”
Black Sherif – “Rebel Music”
Okyeame Kwame Ft Kuami Eugene – “No Competition”
Sarkodie – “No Sir”
Lyrical Joe Ft Kuami Eugene – “Enter”
Best Male Vocal Performance
Joe Mettle – “Oba Awon Oba” — Winner
Kofi Nuel – “Do Not Fear”
Emmanueel Juddah – “Aseda”
Mog Music – “Ahuoden Fofro”
Ayisi – “Can I Live”
Best Female Vocal Performance
Esther Goodwyll – “I Choose to Praise” — Winner
Naana Asiedu – “Defe Defe”
Lordina the Soprano – “Simply Trusting Everyday”
Titi Owusu – “Nobody”
Mima Afrika – “On Fire”
Best Rap Performance
Kweku Smoke – “Holy Ghost” — Winner
Eno Barony – “No Manual”
Okyeame Kwame – “No Competition”
Sarkodie – “Brag”
Lyrical Joe – “5th August 8”
Flowking Stone – “King Is Back”
Best Hip Hop Song
Kweku Smoke – “Holy Ghost” – Winner
Joey B – “Princess”
Kwaw Kese Ft Kofi Mole – “Awoyo Sofo”
Black Sherif – “Kilos Milos”
Sarkodie Ft Beeztrap Kotm – “Amen”
Beeztrap Kotm & Oseikrom Osikani – “Fly Girl”
Best Afrobeats Song
Olivetheboy – “Asylum” – Winner
Lasmid – “Puul”
Kidi Ft Black Sherif – “Lomo Lomo”
Mr Drew – “Sneaky”
King Promise – “Favourite Story”
Beeztrap Kotm – “Yesu”
Best Hiplife/Hip Hop Artiste
Kweku Smoke – Winner
Amerado
Beeztrap KOTM
Black Sherif
King Paluta
Sarkodie
Medikal
Best New Artiste
Beeztrap KOTM – Winner
Lali x Lola
AratheJay
Rap Fada
Team Eternity
Kwesi Amewuga
Best Album/EP of the Year
King Promise – True To Self – Winner
Kweku Smoke – Kweku Jesus
King Paluta – Give Time Some Time
Stonebwoy – Up and Running
Kofi Kinaata – Kofi OO Kofi
Team Eternity Ghana – Testimony
Best Highlife Artiste
Fameye – Winner
Kofi Kinaata
Kuami Eugene
Sista Afia
Kwabena Kwabena
Best Afrobeats/Afro-PopArtiste
King Promise – Winner
Kidi
Camidoh
OliveTheBoy
Mr Drew
Lasmid
International Collaboration of the Year
Diana Hamilton Ft Mercy Chinwo – “The Doing of the Lord” – Winner
Joe Mettle Ft Sunmisola Agbebi – “Oba Awon Oba”
Stonebwoy Ft Odumodublvck – “Ekelebe”
King Promise Ft Shalipopi – “Continental”
Stonebwoy Ft Spice – “Jiggle and Whine”
Gambo Ft Edem & Jim Jones – “Drip Rmx”
Best Music Video
Stonebwoy – “Jejereje” (Directed by Banini) – Winner
Smallgod – “Fallen Angel” (Directed by Babs Direction)
Kofi Kinaata – “Auntie AMA” (Directed by Awudu Musa)
King Promise – “Continental” (Directed by Meekah Jagun)
Mzvee – “Peace of Mind” (Directed by Rex)
King Promise – “Keep It Sexy” (Directed by Rex)
African Song of the Year
Titom Ft s.n.e, Yuppe, Burna Boy – “Tshwala Bami” – Winner
Rema – “Ozeba”
Mr Pilato, Ego Slimflow & Tebogo G Mashego Ft Sje Konka, Focalistic, DJ Maphorisa, Scotts Maphuma & Cowboii – “Biri Marung”
Darkoo Ft Rema – “Favorite Girl Rmx”
Tems – “Love Me Jeje”
Ayra Starr – “Commas”
Unsung Artiste of the Year
Yaw Darling – Winner
Romeo Swag
Fad Lan
Kojo Vypa
Kaesa
Ess Thee Legend