Entertainment
Rocky Dawuni earns third Grammy nomination
Ghanaian reggae artiste Rocky Dawuni has for the third time earned a Grammy nomination following his debut appearance at the prestigious global awards ceremony in 2015.
His song, ‘Neva Bow Down’ featuring Blvk H3ro released on September 22, 2022, has been nominated in the Best Global Music Performance category of the 65th Grammy Awards which will take place on February 5 2023 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, USA.
Rocky Dawuni is competing in the Best Global Performance category among other artists in the awards ceremony which is billed as the highest form of acknowledgement for players in the music industry globally.
The Ghanaian music star is facing tough competition from Nigeria’s music giant, Burna Boy (Last last), Pakistani American singer Arooj Aftab and British Indian artiste, Anoushka Shankar ( Udhero Na), internationally acclaimed R&B singer Matt B (Gimme Love) and Wouter Kellerman, Zakes Bantwini and Nomcebo Zikode (Bayethe).
Having failed at his two previous attempts to grab a Grammy win in 2015 and 2021, expectations are already high this year for Rocky Dawuni to secure Ghana its first Grammy laurel.
Before today’s announcement, ardent music followers were positive that Black Sherif, Sarkodie, and Stonebwoy could make it this year’s Grammys nomination list but that didn’t happen.
Beninese singer-songwriter, Angelique Kidjo was also nominated for Best Song Written for Visual Media alongside Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, and Beyonce.
Apart from securing a spot in the Best Global Music Performance category, Burna Boy also had a nomination in the Best Global Music Album which has Angélique Kidjo and Ibrahim Maalouf.
The 65th Grammy Awards will feature five new categories, including Songwriter of the Year for a nonperforming, nonproducing musician and a non-competitive honorary award for the best social change song.
Other new categories are the Best Alternative music performance, Best Americana music performance, Best scoring Soundtrack for video games and other interactive media and the best-spoken word poetry album.
Adele, Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, and Sean Paul are among the global music icons expected to win.
Along with Beyoncé and Adele, whose albums were commercial and critical hits, contenders who topped the charts this year and are eligible for prizes include Bad Bunny, Harry Styles, Future, and Kendrick Lamar, who has 39 career nominations and 14 wins.
Source: starrfm.com.gh
Entertainment
British Council Ghana-UK Music Partnership: Charterhouse’s Robert Klah attends The Great Escape Festival 2025
In a continued effort to strengthen Ghana’s creative industry and foster international collaboration, the British Council has sponsored Robert Klah, Head of Public Events and Communications at Charterhouse Productions and Lead for the Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA), to represent Ghana at the prestigious Great Escape Festival in Brighton, United Kingdom.
The Great Escape Festival is the UK’s largest annual music showcase and conference, spotlighting over 300 emerging artists across multiple venues.
Mr.Klah joined a 13-member international delegation from countries including Colombia, Venezuela, the Philippines, Albania, Argentina, Ukraine, Cuba, Malaysia, and Thailand.
This initiative is part of the British Council’s broader mission to connect global creatives with the UK’s vibrant music scene.
As a major partner of the TGMA Unsung Category, the British Council’s support aims to :
.Expose Ghanaian creatives to innovative UK artistic work
• Foster international professional relationships and knowledge exchange
• Encourage future collaborations, co-commissions, and partnership projects
• Showcase the role of UK festivals in cultural and economic development.
“This opportunity is a significant step in building bridges between Ghana and the UK’s music industries. I noticed the zero presence of African music and artistes, which translates into new market opportunity for Ghanaian music and musicians to develop,” Robert Klah said.
According to him, “Additionally, the key learnings and contacts from the conference offers valuable insights and connections that can uplift emerging talents, especially those in the Unsung category, while adding value to the TGMA National Music Summit held on 21st of June each year.”
The British Council’s work in arts and culture, education, and language continues to build connections, understanding, and trust between the UK and global communities.
By linking the best of the UK with the world—and vice versa—the organization fosters mutual understanding of shared values and challenges, creating enduring people-to-people ties even amid strained official relations.
Entertainment
Nanabanyin Dadson Honoured with Prestigious TGMA Titan Award
The Palms Convention Centre at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel was ablaze with glitz, and electrifying performances as the 26th Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) celebrated its winners in an exclusive event dubbed “Nite with AOTY” on Friday, June 6, 2025.
The night was not just about music—it was also a night of honour and legacy, with veteran journalist and cultural icon Nanabanyin Dadson taking home the prestigious Titan Award for his immense contributions to Ghana’s music and arts ecosystem.
This award was presented by the CEO of Charterhouse, Mrs. Theresa Ayoade, who lavished praise on Dadson, highlighting his invaluable contributions to the industry and to the Ghana Music Awards scheme since its inception.
Titan Award: Nanabanyin Dadson’s Enduring Legacy
Nanabanyin Dadson is a distinguished Ghanaian journalist, arts critic and educator whose influential career spans over three decades. His work has left a lasting imprint on Ghana’s creative and cultural landscape – particularly in the areas of music journalism, arts criticism, and cultural tourism.
A graduate of the University of Ghana with a degree in English and a diploma in Performing Arts, Mr Dadson further pursued postgraduate studies in African Studies and Communication.
He began his journalism career as an arts reporter and columnist with The Mirror and Daily Graphic, before becoming Editor of Graphic Showbiz. Under his leadership, the paper rose to prominence as Ghana’s foremost publication dedicated to entertainment, music and the creative arts.
Throughout his career, Mr Dadson has consistently championed the arts and tourism sectors, using his platform to advocate for greater visibility, understanding and appreciation of Ghana’s rich cultural heritage.
His commentary and reportage helped elevate cultural tourism into national conversation, encouraging the public and policymakers alike to recognise its value.
His work has been published in a range of national and international outlets – including West Africa Magazine, African Concord, Africa Magazine, Africa Asia, and the Torino Film Festival Magazine – and cited in academic publications such as Africa Cinema, Politics and Culture by Manthia Diawara.
He also contributed to landmark publications including Jubilee Ghana – A 50-Year News Journey Through Graphic, the Journalism Style Book, and the Journalism Policy Guide for the Graphic Communications Group.
Widely acknowledged as the only arts journalist of his time with both academic and practical grounding in the arts, Mr Dadson brought critical depth, eloquence and clarity to his writing.
His stated mission – to move the arts from the margins and reposition them as a serious and essential part of public discourse – has been largely realised, due in no small part to his pioneering efforts.
Now serving as Head of the Department of Journalism, Visual and Digital Communication at the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB) in Accra, he continues to mentor and inspire the next generation of media practitioners.
He has also delivered lectures at institutions such as New York University (Ghana), the Ghana Institute of Journalism, and BlueCrest College.
His contributions have been recognised with several awards – including the Ministry of Information’s Artswriter Prize (1986, 1988), the Ghana Journalists Association’s Arts & Culture Writer of the Year (1996), and the GJA Recognition Award for Journalism (2004).
Nanabanyin Dadson remains a towering figure in Ghanaian cultural journalism – a passionate advocate for the arts and tourism, and a custodian of Ghana’s creative legacy.
Receiving the Titan Award, Dadson was celebrated as a true custodian of Ghana’s creative legacy, whose work has elevated cultural tourism and arts discourse in the nation.
Other Honourees of the Night
The event also recognised two other outstanding personalities:
1. Opoku Sanaa – Instrumentalist of the Year
A renowned bassist and music director, Sanaa has performed globally, from Expo 2020 Dubai to the Coca-Cola Arena, and worked with top artists like Joe Mettle, Diana Hamilton, and Cwesi Oteng. His 2024 album, “It’s Time”, showcases his genre-defying talent, solidifying his place among Africa’s finest instrumentalists.
2. Susuma Pan-African Dance & Music Ensemble – Traditional Artiste of the Year
Founded in 1991 by Nana Kwame Dadzie, this award-winning ensemble has taken Ghanaian traditional music and dance to global stages, preserving and promoting the country’s rich cultural heritage.
