Ghana Music Awards tonight

Saturday, April 4, 2009 (The Mirror)

By Rebecca Kwei
The biggest event on Ghana's entertainment calendar, the MTN Ghana Music Awards (GMA) Festival comes off tonight at the Accra International Conference Centre.
Tagged "It's a big deal", one thing most music lovers will be looking out is the one to be crowned Artiste of the Year.
Artistes in contention for this award are Sidney, Christiana Love, Okyeame Quame, Philipa Baafi, Praye or Asem. And who takes home the MTN GMA Artiste of the Decade award plus the cash of GH¢5000? Will it be Daddy Lumba, Lord Kenya, Obrafour, Kojo Antwi, Daasebre Dwamena, Obour, Esther Smith, Ofori Amponsah or Samini.
Another important category to look out for is the 'Most Popular Song of the Year' which has Go High by Philipa Baafi, Me Mma Me Werenfi by Christiana Love, Africa Money by Sidney, Angelina by Praye, Ngozi by the late Michael Dwamena and Woso by Okyeame Quame in contention. This is a very 'tight' category considering the fact that all six songs are very popular.
According to the organisers of the event, Charterhouse, the glitz and glamour associated with the awards ceremony will not be missing this year as an "elaborate 'Yello Carpet' will be laid out to welcome nominees and VIPs who will throng the conference centre.
To ensure that it is a night of grandeur, the organisers are leaving no stone unturned with performance by guest artistes like Coco Master D’Banj and his crew, Sway the Ghanaian born UK artiste, Naeto C and Ike Chukwu. The Ghanaian artistes to perform also include Cindy Thompson who has not performed on stage in ages and who is totally loved on the gospel scene, the lovely and talented Becca and Adina and the sensational Lord Kenya.
Not to be out done will be Josh Laryea, Kwabena Kwabena, Sarkodie, Praye and Pat Thomas who is intent on representing his generation of Highlife Artistes very well. There are other surprise artistes on the bill and it is expected that the MTN GMA main event will linger on people’s minds for a long time to come.
The titles sponsors of the festival, MTN, has promised each winner on the night with a cash prize of GH¢ 1000 with GH¢500 worth of MTN credit while the ultimate winner — Artiste of the Year will take home a cool GH¢4000 Ghana cedis and GH¢1000 cedis worth of MTN credit.
The cash awards will, however, be made available to the winners who attend and pick up awards at the main event tonight.
On Sunday, April 5, the celebration continues with a celebrations jam that will feature award winners and the guest acts in an unstoppable performance spree at the forecourt of the Trade Fair at 6 p.m.
Meanwhile the text lines are still open for the public to send in their votes to MTN short code 1758 and on any other network. The highest texter stands the chance of winner a trip to any exotic African location courtesy RVI.