Tems and Elaine join Burna Boy, Wizkid and Diamond Platnumz at the 2021 BET Awards
These African acts are nominated in the Best New International Act (Viewers' Choice) and Best International Act categories
One of the first major events in the American music industry to take place during the full swing of the COVID-19 global pandemic, last year’s BET Awards were a groundbreaking display of what award shows, public performances and mass gathering would look like in a pandemic. Held virtually last year, in respect of the lockdown, this year BET will return to a live award show in Los Angeles on June 27 8pm ET, airing live on the BET channel as well.
With just one month until the show, yesterday, BET revealed the nominees for this year’s awards, including a total of seven nominations for last year’s ‘Best Female Hip-Hop’ winner, Megan Thee Stallion and other notable nods for Dababy, Chloe x Halle and Pop Smoke. The BET Awards are a celebration of Black artistry in America, but they are also commemorative Black musicians worldwide, who are nominated within the ‘Best International Act’ category and the ‘Best New International Act’ viewers’ choice category.
Representing Africa in the Best International Act category are two of Nigeria’s biggest Pop acts, Burna Boy and Wizkid, and Diamond Platnumz from Tanzania. In this category, our African stars go up against Aya Nakamura, a Mali born French-based artiste; Headie One and Young T & Bugsey from the UK; Brazil’s Emicida; and French rapper Youssoupha, born to a Congolese father and Senegalese mother. In the viewers’ choice category for the Best New International Act, Tems and Elaine stand a chance of bringing it home for Africa, going head to head with Brazil’s coveted MC Dricka, British Pop sensation, Bree Runway, joined by Arlo Parks, half-Nigerian but also representing the UK, as well as French singers Ronisia and Bramsito. Judging by social media reception on the BET International Instagram page, African artists are the buzz in each of these categories, which is especially important in the Best New International Act category as that is viewers choice. Our confidence for a continental win across the International categories is definitely not misplaced, but if you’re in doubt, below is a breakdown of each artists’ campaign to prove just how sure we are of this bet.
Tems
Few newcomers have had as exciting and prolific a year as Tems had. Since featuring on the cover of NATIVE‘s Issue 004, Tems has led Apple Music campaigns and concluded partnerships with YouTube Music, she has made history whilst topping local charts, locally and internationally, with singles of her own and featured credits, namely on the ‘Made in Lagos‘ standout track, “Essence”. Releasing ‘For Broken Ears‘, her debut project last September, Tems’ unprecedented red streak ascent since “Try Me” went supersonic, and she now ranks comfortably amongst the cross-over African stars who have been inching for an international break long before Tems even released her debut single, “Mr Rebel” just three years ago. With the second most votes from the public so far, Tems is a clear favourite to win the Best New International Act Viewers’ Choice Award.
Elaine
Debuting officially in 2019, Elaine has been accomplishing groundbreaking feats right from the start. Dropping ‘Elements‘ in September that year, leading with singles, “Slip Away” and “I Just Wanna Know” Elaine became the first independent solo female artist to reach number one on Apple Music and iTunes album charts in South Africa, and went on to become the first South African artist named under Spotify’s Radar program for emerging artists. Spotlighted in our Fresh Meat column last June, following Elements was a significantly successful year for Elaine; she was nominated for ‘R&B/Soul Album of the Year’ at the South African Music Awards, bagged a Colombia Records deal and continued to clear her path as a trap-soul, alternative R&B singer with numerous charting singles. With this BET nomination, 2021 looks to have even more Ws lined up for Elaine, let’s hope and vote a win in this category is amongst these.
Other nominees for the Best New International Act
Where the Best International Act category is packed with male talent from across the world, the Best New International Act nominees reflect the changing landscape for women in music. Empowering initiatives for women – the likes of Femme Africa, which has recently joined the Spotify Equal Board – are truly making a difference in creating a more egalitarian industry, executives are being called out for the misogynistic biases towards marketing and promoting male artists, and audiences are increasingly conscious of their own complicity in making success that much harder for female artists. This has led to more women being recognised and commended deservedly, evident in this year’s Best New International Act category.
Alongside Tems and Elaine is Bree Runway, a British rapper hailing from Hackney, London who has become something of a pop culture icon this past year, with her nostalgic, dramatic visuals that accompany her assorted musical style. Also from the UK is half-Nigerian indie musician, Arlo Parks, who earned three nominations at this year’s Brit Awards, for British Album of the Year, British Female Artist and lastly Breakthrough Artist, which she won. Leading so far is Brazil’s MC Dricka whose music is an provocative fusion of Latin notes, Dance production and hype sung rap that has earned her wide attention across the region. The final two nominees for the BET 2021 Best New International Act, Viewers’ Choice Award are Bramsito, the only male in the category, and Ronisia, both from France. Whilst Ronisia is still in her earlier stages, Bramsito has a sizeable discography behind him, complete with a platinum certification that proves he is a top contender locally.
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Wizkid in Best International Act
Out with arguably the most favoured album of last year, Wizkid is a very likely winner for this year’s Best International Act award, not only given the quality of the project, but his ubiquitous global presence over the past year. Beginning the ‘Made In Lagos‘ campaign with the H.E.R.-assisted R&B cut, “Smile”, Wizkid kept music lovers in a tight grip through the second half of the year, relentlessly teasing his album to no avail. Finally dropping ‘Made In Lagos‘ to heal his country in the wake of EndSARS protests he had lent his voice to, Wizkid’s post-album campaign has been a multimedia experience, with a YouTube live concert, a special edition NATIVE issue, Puma collections and more. In today’s abundant world, good music isn’t the only mark of a strong artist, but one of Africa’s leading stars, Wizkid has it all in his pocket, a W for him would be no surprises.
Burna Boy
Winning BET’s last two ‘Best International Act’ awards, this year could mark Burna Boy’s third consecutive win in this category, adding another notch in his belt after winning the Grammy’s album equivalent category, ‘Best Global Music Album’ back in March. Equally as magnetic a global presence as Wizkid – multiple editorial spreads, including a recent GQ cover, a BoohooMan collaboration, and multiple placements on mainstream globals album such as Justin Beiber’s ‘Justice‘ and the Coming 2 America compilation album – in terms of global acclaim, Burna Boy and Wizkid are toe-to-toe, so close in the race one can hardly compare. When it comes to their key albums for this year however, where Wizkid’s might have had a more lasting impact with audiences in these parts, given that Hip-Hop is a defining genre in contemporary music for Black people in America and the BET, endorsements, features and executive production from some of Hip-Hop’s most influential hitmakers on ‘TAT‘ lends partiality to Burna Boy’s chances.
Diamond Platnumz
There is no question about it, Nigerian music is disproportionately represented in the global perception of music coming out of the content, and our artists are awarded more visibility for this. Though the world might not be as tuned in to African music outside of Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana, that is no indictment on the music coming our of other nodes, and Diamond Platnumz’s unstoppable commercial success is clear proof of that. With no album behind his campaign this time, Diamond Platnumz has released a deluge of singles in the part year, ranging from Latin inspired Pop songs such as, “Haunisumbui” to a Hip-Hop infused “Quarantine” anthem that speaks to our obsession with learning dances during lockdown. Earning three spots on Africa’s most viewed songs on YouTube in 2020, with “Jeje” (1), “Waah” featuring Kofi Olomide (3) and “Gere” (7), Diamond Platnumz, has so far been tearing up East Africa with vivacious, entirely COVID-unfriendly live performances, that are a key component of this artist’s merit.
Other nominees for the Best International Act
Releasing her second self-titled project last November, Aya Nakamura, is the only woman nominated in the category, joined by rapper Youssoupha, who stand a chance of taking the award back to France. Close by in the UK is Headie One, who enjoyed a noteworthy year – wining a MOBO award and earning a Brit nomination – and British-Nigerian-Jamaican duo, Young T & Bugsey, also nominated at the Brits, who emerged with their debut album last year. Brazilian rapper, Emicida is the sole South American artist nominated, boasting an equally prolific year, including a GQ Brasil spread and a Netflix Brasil partnership.
In both these international categories, the competition is stiff, but as always our musical acts stand as favourites to bring the awards home. In the Best New International Act category, you have the power to make that happen by voting for Elaine or Tems, which is as easy as liking their pictures on the BET International IG page: here for Elaine and here for Tems. Simulcast via BET Africa on June 28 at 2am CAT you can also win a chance to attend the live show in person by registering on BET’s 2021 Awards website here. In the mean time, view the full list of nominees for the 2021 BET Awards here.
Adewojumi Aderemi is still learning.
ICYMI:LADIPOE’S “FEELING” TAKES THE LEAD SPOT THIS WEEK
Luwa.Mp4 Releases Riotous Debut Album, ‘punKstA*’
Across the album’s 12 tracks, Luwa.Mp4 continues his fiery exploration and fusion of genres like Punk Rock,...
Rising singer and rapper Luwa.Mp4 has released his debut album titled ‘punKstA*.’ The underground star who has been on a release spree all year long, announced the imminent arrival of his debut only a couple of days ago with a cryptic trailer video and an Instagram caption that simply read ‘PUNKSTA* MONDAY.’
Before the arrival of ‘punKstA*,’ the rising fusion star had been showcasing his diligence and talent with a consistent output that has seen him put out over a dozen songs since the start of the year. A string of singles led to a 6-pack titled ‘lore skooL,’ while a deluxe version that housed 5 new songs came just a month later.
His debut album’s lead single, “pUNK FANTASY,” arrived in late July, setting the stage for what could prove to be a pivotal moment in the underground star’s burgeoning career.
Across the album’s 12 tracks, the eclectic singer continues his fiery exploration and fusion of genres like Punk Rock, Afropop, Hyperpop, and Rap into something uniquely different. Tracks like “Pure Water,” which was previously teased on Cruel Santino’s Subaru Live Stream, the abrasive, Tecno-influenced “pROMISED NEVERLAND,” and the more laidback “pEEp MY RIDE” put on display the sort of varied, autotune-soaked approach that has set him apart and helped carve a growing niche.
While Luwa decided to go solo on his debut, credited as the only recording artist, the album was brought to life by a cast of talented producers like frequent collaborator TOPSY, Emyboi, JTRN, 3CB, FVKK.ANDI and Jeremy Cartier.
Listen to ‘punKstA*,’ here.
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Shekhinah Returns With Surprise Album, ‘Less Trouble’
The South African R&B star is at her most assertive on her first album in four years.
South African R&B and Pop singer Shekhinah has released a new surprise album titled ‘Less Trouble.’ The Durban star, who had been quiet for most of the year, took to social media shortly before midnight to share the new album’s cover, synopsis, and tracklist, simply stating, ‘If you’re seeing this my album LESS TROUBLE is out now at Midnight,’ in an Instagram caption.
The soulful singer first began teasing ‘Less Trouble,’ her first album in over four years, about a year ago when she released its lead single “Risk,” a bouncy Afropop-inspired collab with Ghanaian star MOLIY. A few months after the release of “Risk,” she put out “Steady,” a dreamy pop number that suggested that something bigger was on the horizon. But then it was largely radio silence about a project until its surprise arrival at midnight.
If 2021’s ‘Trouble In Paradise’ represented a coming-of-age for Shekhinah, subsisting some of the dreamy, youthful exuberance of her debut album for more measured musings on themes like heartbreak and grief, ‘Less Trouble’ finds her at her most assertive, writing and singing with the acuity of someone who is grown, decisive and discerning. The delicate opener “Break Up Season” sets the tone for the rest of the album as she shows little tolerance for shady behaviour and toxic patterns.
Other standout cuts on the album like “Bare Minimum,” a sombre collab with fellow South African award-winning singer lordkez, the ethereal, in-your-face interlude “New Casanova,” and the percussive “What Are We,” where Shekhinah contemplates the nature of a relationship but ultimately demands all or nothing, all drive home a part of the album’s synopsis, which reads ‘A BOOK ON MORE HEARTBREAK BUT LESS HEARTACHE.’
Shekhinah invites a couple of new collaborators on ‘Less Trouble,’ featuring the aforementioned MOLIY and lordkez as well as multi-instrumentalist Mars Baby and Young Stunna across the album’s 11 tracks. Mpilo Shabangu handled the majority of the album’s production, while other producers like Michael Morare, her longtime collaborator, Mthintheki Mzizi, and Vuyo also contributed to the album.
Listen to ‘Less Trouble’ here.
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The NATIVE’s First Impressions Of Amaarae’s ‘Black Star’
‘Black Star’ marks another evolutionary arc for Amaarae, and The NATIVE team offer our thoughts after a...
Change has always been a constant theme in any discussion about the career of Ghanaian-American star, Amaarae. Since she emerged as a singular voice in the late 2010s, she has evolved from a sirenic Afropop-adjacent singer into a Punk-Pop firestarter with minimal fuss. ‘Fountain Baby,’ her 2023 sophomore album, was a sweeping departure from the lilting melodies and shapeshifing cadences of the hypnotic ‘The Angel You Don’t Know,’ emphasizing her commitment to charting new courses with her music.
In the lead-up to her new album, ‘Black Star,’ she has wholly embraced a Pop aesthetic and sheen that was reflected on the album’s promotional singles, “S.M.O.” and “Girlie-Pop!.” Now that the album has arrived, the singer has advised listeners not to go in expecting a continuation of the soundscape on ‘Fountain Baby.’ As keen followers of Amaarae’s career from its start, we are sure that ‘Black Star’ marks another evolutionary arc for her, and we offer our thoughts after a few listens.
WHAT WERE YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF AMAARAE GOING INTO THIS ALBUM?
Kemnachi: I had zero doubts that she would impress me again. Amaarae always comes correct. She is audacious with her choices, taking creative risks most artists would not dare to imagine, and somehow rendering them seamless, deliberate, and effortless. Her music has a way of enveloping me: it’s fluid, slightly dangerous, and yet irresistibly sensual. Every project feels like an immersive world she has curated down to the finest detail. With ‘Black Star,’ I knew it was not going to be a mere collection of songs but another meticulously constructed realm.
Bamise: I expected something fun, genre-bending, and sonically diverse in the fashion that Amaarae’s music typically is. I may have taken the album title a bit too literally, though, because listening made me realise I had an eye out for some Pan-African statements or something to spark discourse on African identity, but I didn’t quite catch any of that.
Boluwatife: Amaarae has largely delivered throughout her career, so I knew she was going to come correct again. She’s one of those forward-thinking artists who take the kind of risks most others wouldn’t, but she always manages to make it work. She’s proven to be a musical omnivore who constantly meshes her wide-ranging influences into something new, fluid, icy, and more often than not, sensual. I knew ‘Black Star’ wasn’t going to be any different.
WHAT SONGS STOOD OUT ON THE FIRST LISTEN?
Wale: I liked “Girlie-Pop!.” I feel like it captures Amaarae’s vision of pushing Afropop into the future. She’s also really grown comfortable with music and lyricism and will not dumb down her message for anybody. The instrumental for “Girlie-Pop!” is also a wonder; it’s so dense, but there are pockets for Amaarae to be emotive about her feelings. Top song!
Daniel Akins: I need to hear “B2B” at the next rave I’m at. Amaarae is in her Dance era, and I’m here for it. Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2” with PinkPantheress is the collaboration I knew I needed, and I’m glad they finally linked up. It’s a clear standout on the project; their ethereal style complements each other.
Shina: “B2B” was the one that did it for me. That is my favourite track on the project. The number of times I ran it back was unhealthy for a first listen. It was also really fun to catch the Don Toliver “Best You Had” sample. I need to hear this outside!
HOW WELL YOU THINK THE GUEST APPEARANCES ENHANCED THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE?
Israel: The guest features on Black Star aren’t mere flexes. They’re strategic, theatrical, and sometimes emotionally resonant. They enhance, yes, but they do so on Amaarae’s terms. A standout for me was PinkPantheress on “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.” The tradeoff is that a few songs feel like dazzling cameos rather than an integrated conversation, yet overall they enhance the album’s drama, texture, and bravado with precision.
Daniel Banjoko: Everyone showed up and delivered, no weak links here. Instead of just guest spots, they felt like vital pieces of a bigger puzzle. Charlie Wilson on “Dream Scenario” nailed his part especially, making the track sound exactly like its name promises.
Moore: The guest appearances on ‘Black Star’ feel very intentional; each one enhances the album’s world without overshadowing Amaarae’s vision. PinkPantheress’s signature airy delivery meshes with Amaarae’s experimental pop sound. Naomi Campbell’s commanding voice on “ms60” is an unexpected but powerful addition, adding drama to the track. Each feature feels carefully chosen.
WHAT SONG IS THE BIGGEST SKIP?
Bamise: Not to be a party pooper, but I don’t get the PinkPantheress collab, “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.” It feels like a PinkPantheress song with less pop in it, and just borrows the title of the iconic Soulja Boy song but has no other similarities. It’s between that and “ms60.” For me, the chorus of that sounds like something I’ve heard from Amaarae before, and I doubt its absence would have diminished the album.
Shina: I feel like biggest skip is a strong word for a solid project, but if I have to pick a song to skip, it’ll be “ms60.” I think it’s easily forgettable.
Wale: It’s hard to single out a song that stuck out to me, but hearing Naomi Campbell on “ms60” threw me off. It’s just too contrived to bear for me.
WHAT SONG HAS THE BIGGEST HIT POTENTIAL?
Boluwatife: My gut answer would probably be “She Is My Drug,” just because of how she beautifully reworks the melodies from Cher’s “Believe.” DJ remixes of this song could go crazy. But if I were to think a bit more logically, TikTok would probably lap up “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.”
Daniel Banjoko: “Kiss Me Thru the Phone pt 2” goes crazy. Amaarae and PinkPantheress are the perfect match. This collab feels like it was destined to happen, and it delivers in full. Honestly, I can’t believe it took this long, and now I just need more tracks from these two, ASAP.
Moore: “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2” has the biggest hit potential on the album. The song has a nostalgic, sad party girl vibe that makes it appealing, and it’s also catchy and well-produced. PinkPantheress consistently performs well on platforms like TikTok, and her fanbase overlaps in a really interesting way with Amaarae’s. The collaboration feels organic and exciting, and will likely create a lot of buzz.
OVERALL FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Wale: There is a very visceral quality to how Amaarae expresses desire that I don’t hear very often in a lot of music. It’s abstracted and warped in futuristic textures, but it’s very profoundly human, and it’s always great to hear that even as she advances the sonics of her delivery. I do, however, have an issue with the thematic scope of ‘Black Star.’ I thought there would be overt references to her experiences of navigating her Ghanaian identity, but those references are limited to samples and interpolations. It’s still an incisive listen and a triumph for finding ways to advance music from Africa.
Bamise: It’s Amaarae; she can never go wrong. But for me, this is the album that excites me the least from her catalogue. Other than how bass-heavy some songs on the album are, like “S.M.O.” and “She Is My Drug” among others, it feels similar to other projects I’ve heard from her in a way that’s not exactly refreshing or mind-bending. I may have gotten spoiled by how diverse and eclectic Amaarae’s music tends to be, but I wanted more from her. I expected more gangster, Hip-Hop Amaarae. Thematically, I didn’t get anything that gives the Black Star of Ghana, or black stars are ruling the world. Will I listen again and enjoy every bit of it still, though? Yes, I will.
Shina: So first off, this is a solid body of work. I love the fact that Amaarae stuck with the Dance, Electro-Pop route she was going with throughout the album. The features also played their part, adding their unique touches to each record. I would say, though, a feature I would’ve loved to hear on this project is 070Shake. I think she would have been perfect on “100DRUM,” but we don’t always get what we want, do we? Thematically, I think Amaarae could’ve leaned heavily on her Ghanaian heritage, seeing as the title and cover of the album are a nod to that. Maybe Amaarae just wants us to dance, and that’s what I’m just gonna do, and you should too.
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