The Trace Awards returns with its 2025 edition. It’s the celebration of Africa’s musical diversity, where voices from Dakar to Johannesburg, beats from Lagos to Nairobi, and vibes from Kinshasa to Zanzibar come together in harmony.

This year’s list of nominees is absolutely electric. Major African genres like amapiano, Afrobeat, mbalax, and zouk have brilliant representations from the respective countries. Artists from more than 30 countries are in the running, proving that African music is as vast and rich as the continent itself.

Take the West African giants—they’re ruling the charts worldwide. Nigeria leads the charge with Asake, Rema, and the unstoppable Burna Boy battling it out in top categories like Song of the Year and Album of the Year. Their bangers have transcended borders, becoming anthems for global dance floors.

Meanwhile, East Africa brings its signature swag with Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz and Zuchu turning the competition into an all-out fiesta. Add Southern Africa’s amapiano powerhouses Tyla and Tyler ICU to the mix, and it’s clear: the Trace Awards are showcasing every corner of the African map.

Let’s talk collaborations—this category is a melting pot of brilliance. Cape Verde meets the global dance scene with Neyna & MC Acondize’s party-starter Nu Ka Sta Para, while Nigeria’s Asake joins forces with Wizkid for MMS—a track as smooth as butter. This synergy is exactly what makes Afro music the cultural glue of today’s generation.

Even visually, African music is not slowing down. Take Meji Alabi’s iconic work for Rema’s DND or TG Omori’s signature stamp on Kizz Daniel’s Twe Twe. These are cinematic experiences, each one telling a story of its own.

But it gets even more interesting: The Trace Awards isn't just a stage for superstars. It’s a spotlight for rising talents and overlooked regions. Artists from French-speaking Africa, like Ivory Coast’s Didi B, are showing the world that Francophone vibes are here to stay. Cape Verde’s Neyna is carving out space for island nations, proving African music’s heartbeat spans oceans.

It’s obviously a wide sky, we await the day that other rising stars such as Skelvin, Expensive Peter, Mascara Vibes and Addi Self will get a well deserved chance on such stages as this.

This year, all roads lead to Zanzibar. The Trace Awards are rewriting how the world celebrates Africa. It’s about recognizing our roots, reveling in our evolution, and honoring the unity that music brings.

So, gear up and get ready. Because whether it’s amapiano, soukous, or rap, one thing is certain: African music isn’t just rising—it’s ruling.

Picture a group of kids drumming under the shade of a baobab tree, their rhythms alive with stories passed down for generations. Now, imagine a computer trying to capture that magic. Sounds impossible, right?

Well, that’s the debate shaking the music world. Artificial intelligence has burst onto the scene, remixing beats, composing tracks, and even creating virtual singers like Mya Blue—a digital star powered by AI and dreamed up by Nigerian producer Eclipse Nkasi.

Mya’s got some impressive pipes for a virtual being, and Nkasi insists she sings from the “soul.” But can a machine even have one?

Music in Africa is More Than Just Sound

In Africa, music isn’t something you just make; it’s something you live. It’s the heartbeat of celebrations, rituals, and everyday life. It’s spiritual, dynamic, and deeply human. Tabu Osusa, a Kenyan musician, says it best: “Music in Africa is always alive. It’s so dynamic. That shouldn’t be taken away from us.”

And yet, AI is trying to recreate it. Algorithms scour data, learn patterns, and churn out tracks inspired by African sounds. But is that music, or just a clever imitation?

Can AI Feel What We Feel?

AI’s strength lies in precision, not emotion. It can analyze a traditional Ghanaian drum pattern and spit out a polished version faster than you can say “Afrobeats.” But what it can’t do is feel the joy of a village gathering or the sorrow of a mourning song.

African music comes from the soul—the kind of place no algorithm can reach. That’s why many artists worry that when AI replicates their work, it’s stealing the essence that makes their music unique. And let’s not even start on the question of ownership. If a machine remixes a melody from a small Nigerian village, who gets the credit? Spoiler: it’s usually not the original creators.

The Danger of Losing the Soul

There’s a darker side to all this innovation. What if AI makes traditional instruments and techniques feel obsolete? Why learn to master a kora or mbira when a machine can mimic it in seconds?

That’s a scary thought. Africa’s music is rich because it’s alive. It evolves with its people, shaped by history, struggles, and triumphs. Strip away the human touch, and you’re left with something hollow—like a meal with no spice.

A New Frontier

But hold up, it’s not all doom and gloom. Nkasi, the brain behind Mya Blue, believes there’s a way to blend tech with tradition. For him, AI isn’t a replacement; it’s a tool—a way to amplify creativity, not erase it.

“The limits we Africans experience with AI can be a good thing,” he says. “While AI can’t give the very detailed African sound, there’s still room for the guy who can play it.”

So, maybe the answer isn’t to reject AI but to teach it. Feed it with real African stories, sounds, and rhythms. Use it to preserve traditions, not replace them. And most importantly, keep the heart of African music beating strong.