Dollar Rains On Artistes, As KORA Award Call For Entry

Ahead of the 2015 KORA All Africa Music Awards, the organisers have started receiving entries from musicians from across the African continent and the diaspora.

The first music awards ceremony to celebrate excellence in musical artistry in Africa and the diaspora, the award ceremony will take place on December 13, 2015, in Windhoek, Namibia.

Featuring 27 categories across regions and genres, this year’s event comes with monetary reward associated with each trophy, with the main prize, Best Artist of the Continent receiving a grand prize of USD 1 Million.

Best Male/Female Artiste winners in all the categories will get 50 000$ USD, while Best African Group will take home 20 000$ USD. Winner of Best Male Artiste (Spiritual Music) will get 20 000$ USD, as well as Best Female Artist in the same category.

Also, Best Group (Spiritual Music), Best Traditional Music Artiste – male and female, Best Traditional Music Group of Africa and Most promising artiste – Male/Female will all get 20 000$ USD each.

Winners in Best Artiste of the African Diaspora, Best Video of the year, Best Collaboration of the year and Best Album of the year will all get 20 000$ USD each.

The Legend Award comes with 50 000$ USD prize money, while Best Hip Hop Artiste, Best Urban Music Artist and Most Downloaded Song of the year winners will get 20 000$ USD each.

However, to be eligible for the Best Artiste of the Continent trophy, an artiste must have been voted the best of their region on the continent.

“The financial reward will only be given to award-winners, who are in attendance at the awards ceremony – absent artists will be awarded the trophy alone,” the organisers hinted.   Kora Awards are opened to all musicians, singers of Africa and its diaspora living on the continent or abroad.

The competition includes several awards – each artiste may enroll in one or more categories of their choice, but the song or songs participating in the competition must have been published between January 1st, 2014 and July 15th, 2015. The songs must be of quality, must not be damaged and must be readable on any drive.

The artiste, author, or composer of the titles in competition must submit his/her application(s) to the KORA Awards’ Team on info@koraawards.org or koraawards@gmail.com  – the submissions deadline is the 20th July, 2015. Also, formal, written authorization must be sent to KORA Awards Committee.

“This authorization should communicate consent that the KORA Awards can use the artiste’s image, videos, music and biography for promotion of the KORA’s 2015 edition. This letter must be sent to info@koraawards.org or koraawards@gmail.com,” the organisers hinted.