Gospel Music Awards Presentation Leaves Tongues Wagging

By Boera Bisieri with Ogova Ondego
Published June 13, 2017

The 12th annual Groove Awards that recognises Gospel artists came and went on June 1, 2017, leaving tongues wagging.

While Milele FM retained its award—the Gospel Radio Show of the Year it has been winning since 2011—its presenter, Eva Mwalili, kept the Radio Presenter of the Year award she won in 2015 and 2016.

Also winning her award—Female Artist of the Year—for the third time in the event that was broadcast live on K24 TV and Kameme TV was Mercy Masika.

Masika first won the Female Artist of the Year award in 2008 with her hit song, Amukomete. She took the award again in 2016 and 2017.

While congratulations to the winners are in order, one cannot help but wonder why same artists go home with the same award so many times.

How could Mercy Masika, who bagged the Female Artist of the Year award as well as Song of the Year in the previous years still scoop the same awards? Isn’t there any other station that could win the Gospel Radio Show of the Year award instead of Milele FM’s Gospel Sunday that has won it in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017?

Can a contest in which players connected to the organizers participate be taken to be a level playing field, let alone a fair competition? DJ Mo, the official DJ of Mo Sound, for instance, has been awarded the DJ of the Year award by Groove Awards more than any other DJ over the 12 times the awards have been held. Crossover, the TV gospel show that DJ Mo presides over as DJ and presenter has scooped the award of TV Show of the Year the most in the history of Groove Awards.

On a more positive note, the sponsors of the 12th Groove Awards that were held at Kenyatta International Convention Centre in the Nairobi Central Business District on the theme ‘Back to Church’ ensured the winners walked away with much more than just statuettes.

While Kenya Airways offered all the winners in the various categories a return ticket to a destination of their choice and Shell gave them motor vehicle fuel worth Sh100000 (about US$1000), Mo Sound and Film Studios awarded them a live music concert recording service. Little cab riding service, on its part, offered them taxi rides worth Sh50000 (about US$500) in Nairobi and Mombasa as Azure Mara Haven said it would give them two nights fully paid holiday in the world-famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve.

Safaricom awarded brand new iPhone 7s worth Sh76000 (US$760) and Sh10000 (US$100) worth of airtime to both the Female and the Male Artist of the Year.

Groove Awards, that is organised and presented by Mo Sound in collaboration with Safaricom, saw artists recognised in 26 public choice awards and six special merit prizes, including Safaricom’s Skiza Ringback Tune.

12th Groove Awards Winners:
Female Artist of the Year – Mercy Masika
Male Artist of the Year – EkoDydda
Group of the Year – Adawnage
Song of the Year – Thitimaa by Kymo & Stigah
Collabo of the Year – Bazokizo
Video Producer of the Year – Sammy Dee
Radio Show of the Year – Gospel Sunday on Milele FM
Audio Producer of the Year – Magic Mike

Talent to Watch – MC Nebb

Radio Presenter of the Year – Eva Mwalili
Worship Song of the Year – Patakatifu by Poko Eric Smith
Songwriter of the Year– Pitson
Video of the Year– I live for you by Adawnege
Skiza Tune Most Downloaded– Shuleyako by Mercy Masika
Rift Valley Counties Song of the Year – Atirinen by Maggy Cheruiyot
Coastal Counties Song of the Year– Yuko Nawe by Mercy D. Lai
Eastern Counties Song of the Year– YesuNdeCompe by StepheneKasolo
Western Counties Song of the Year– KhubiraByosi by Timothy Ft Rufftone
Central Counties Song of the Year– GeriaRingi by Jane Muthoni
Nyanza Counties Song of the Year– JakayudaIberna by Joan Amayo
Southern Africa Artist of the Year– Pompi(Zambia)
Western Africa Artist of the Year– Ada(Nigeria)

East and Central Africa Artist of the Year– Gisubizo Ministries (Rwanda)
Outstanding Contributors to the Industry– Ollovar Dance Crew
Dance Group of the Year– Mavericks Dancers
TV Show of the Year– Angaza on KBC TV
Reggae/Ragga Song of the Year– Gerali by Hope Kid
Album of the Year– Optimo Warship
Afro Pop Song of the Year– Thitima by Kymo and Stigah
DJ of the Year– DJ Ruff
Hip Hop Song of the Year– Vidole by EckoDydda
Best New Artist– Weezdom.