Entries now open for All African Music Awards (Afrima) 2021

The call for entries starts on 28 June at 12pm (CAT). This year’s calendar features a lineup of undertakings and events that would take place between 20 June and 21 November 2021.

Speaking on behalf of the African Union, the director of health, humanitarian affairs and social development, Cisse Mariama Mohamed, noted:

The Covid pandemic resulted in multiple setbacks for the continent, but Afrima is committed to uniting the continent through entertainment and honouring their tradition of celebrating the scintillating musical culture of Africa by featuring exhilarating pan-Africa events through the lifespan of the calendar year in 2021 and we are looking forward to celebrating the richness of the African continent alongside Afrima in November this year.

According to a document signed by Mohamed, the submission of entries marks the first official event of the 2021 Afrima calendar and officially opens globally on www.afrima.org to African music professionals either living on the continent or in the diaspora from Monday, 28 June by 12pm (CAT) and closes on Friday, 20 August 2021. Further details on entry submission guidelines are available on the Afrima website.

Submission process

The submission of songs and videos must be produced or released under the year in review i.e. 1 June 2020 to 20 August 2021. African music artistes, managers, producers, record label owners, recording companies, video directors, disc jockeys, choreographers/dancers and International acts are eligible to submit their works or submit on behalf of their clients via the official Afrima website for a possible nomination in one or more of the 40 categories of Afrima.

Other activities slated on the calendar include a pre-screening process, where submitted entries will go through screening carried out by the screening committee of Afrima. The screening process would be done within the period of 21 to 28 August 2021, after which the international jury of Afrima comprising a 13-man panel of experienced, respected African music experts and practitioners will carry out the Afrima Adjudication process from 29 August to 6 September.

The adjudication process involves the International jury members carefully and painstakingly assessing and selecting the very best amongst submitted entries to occupy the Afrima 2021 nominees' list. On completion, a world media announcement of Afrima 2021 nominees' list will take place on 7 September to publicly unveil the African artists and works by Africans in Africa and the diaspora that have been nominated.

Less than 24 hours to the opening of the submission portal for artists in the five regions of africa and the diaspora#Afrima2021#AfrimaAwards#Afrobeats pic.twitter.com/ibwCaed0Jj

— #AFRIMA2021 (@AFRIMAWARDS) June 28, 2021

Public voting process

On 8 September, the Afrima Academy as well as African music fans and followers around the globe can begin to participate in the Afrima public voting process to be conducted on www.afrima.org during which the 2021 nominees will receive votes that could lead them to emerge winners in the various categories of the awards. The voting process, which closes 24 hours before the main awards ceremony, would be monitored and audited by a reputable International Auditing Firm.

Main Awards

Finally, the main awards ceremony, set to be held from 18 to 21 November 2021 in the host city, features a three-day fiesta of music, glamour, Afrocentrism and entertainment. The event commences with the welcome soiree followed by the Afrima music village, the host city tour, the Africa music business summit and the exclusive nominees party and concludes with the live awards ceremony.

Fans of African music globally can follow along and take part in the Afrima 2021 events on social media, livestream on the Afrima website, the Afrima App and by tuning to over 84 television stations that are Afrima partners.