STONEBWOY was crowned “Artiste of the Year” at the 25th Telecel Ghana Music Awards presentation ceremony on Sunday, June 2.
The multiple award-winning reggae, dancehall, and afro-pop singer was named the ultimate winner for his trailblazing artistry and impactful charity in the year under review. With about 90 shows headlined across the continent, intensive media run, hit album and chart-topping singles and scoring the highest audience appeal and popularity under his belt, Stonebwoy is well-deserving of the coveted industry-leading accolade, becoming the 3rd Ghanaian artiste to pick this award twice in the scheme’s history.
Stonebwoy also walked home with 6 other awards. He was named the “Best Reggae and Dancehall” artiste for the 8th time – the most by an artiste in that category. His 2023 “5Th Dimension” album also earned him his first ever career “Best Album/EP” award by the scheme, while songs such as “Manodzi” featuring 5-time GRAMMY award-winning singer Angelique Kidjo” won 3 awards on the night, such as “Best International Collaboration”, “Record of the Year” and “Best Song Writer”.
“Likor” featuring KiDi also won the “Best Collaboration” of the year award.
Meanwhile, Stonebwoy delivered an outstanding performance at the award’s presentation ceremony, paying tribute to his Volta Region roots in a captivating display of cultural homage and musical mastery.
The performance opened with a video showcasing life in the Volta Region, accompanied by proverbs spoken in Ɛʋɛ by elders and dancers from the cultural troupe displaying regional dance that added authentic cultural elements to the performance. Stonebwoy entered the stage with his back to the audience, symbolizing the escape of the Ewe people from Notsé. This historic event, where the Ɛʋɛ people ingeniously escaped oppression by breaking through the walls of Notsé, was a powerful representation of resilience and liberation, mirroring Stonebwoy’s journey and triumphs.
He went on to perform a series of impactful songs, including “Manodzi”, an ancestral collaboration with 5-time GRAMMY award-winning singer Angelique Kidjo, and “Life and Money” featuring GRAMMY-nominated rapper Stormzy, alongside unreleased single “Your Body”. Performances of “Into The Future”, “Apotheke”, “Ekelebe” and “Overlord” heightened the energy of the night with sharp, aggressive dance movements, and fire fans.
