Entertainment
25th TGMA: Who wins Artiste of the Year today?
It is that time of the year where musicians who have excelled in the year 2023 are rewarded at Ghana’s prestigious music awards, dubbed Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) for excellence in their line of duty.
The programme slated for today at the Grand Arena has generated a lot of conversations regarding winners for various categories.
Clearly, there is some historic twist as the scheme marks 25 years.
One of the contentious categories, the Artiste of the Year, has strongly come up for discussion on various platforms.
Six of Ghana’s heavyweights, Stonebwoy, King Promise, Sarkodie, Kuami Eugene, Nacee and Black Sheriff are in strong contest for the coveted title.
However, Stonebwoy and King Promise seem closer to the crown as artistes with the most audience appeal in the calendar year.
Also, another category which will be up for a contest is the Best Rap Performance.
This category which considers the best artiste in wordplay, rhymes, flow and dexterity in piecing rap together on a record, will see Lyrical Joe, Sarkodie, Amerado, Eno Barony, FimFim, Strongman and Medikal will battle it out for the ultimate.
It will be a fierce contest in the search for the Most Popular Song of 2023, as songs like, Hossana – Bandy Banero, Yaya – Black Sherif, Scar – Gyakie ft JBee, Victory – Joyce Blessing, Liquor – KiDi ft Stonebwoy, Terminator – King Promise, Monica – Kuami Eugene, Case Remix – Mr Drew ft Mophty and Aseda – Nacee lock horns.
Best New Artiste would be a battle for Bandy Banner, DSL, King Paluta, Maya Blu, Olivetheboy and Oseikrom Sikanii.
Luckily, budding rapper, Kwesi Amewugah knows his fate, as he was declared Unsung Artiste of the Year ahead of the main event tonight.
Categories like Highlife Song of the Year, Gospel Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Song Writer of the Year, Collaboration of the Year, Gospel Artiste of the Year, Male and Female Vocalist of the Year among others would have to wait for the event today to know how the board, academy and the general public voted.
Patrons would be thrilled with performances from some of the most sought-after artistes on the continent, including Stonebwoy, Kuami Eugene, King Promise, Mr. Drew, Nacee, Amerado, King Paluta, Efya, Amaree, and Team Eternity.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Entertainment
Ghanaian screenwriter Osarfo Anthony appointed as a judge for US Presidential Service Center Film Festival
Renowned Ghanaian screenwriter and entertainment journalist, Osarfo Anthony, has been appointed as a judge for the 2024 US Presidential Service Center (USPSC) Film Festival.
Osarfo expressed his excitement at the appointment, emphasizing the rigorous process he went through to secure the position.
He stated that he applied a year ago. “I underwent a thorough background check, which included a review of my criminal records and an assessment of my professional image on social media, interactions, and my writings on art, media, and filmmaking. They monitored me for almost a year before giving me this appointment.”
Osarfo will be working alongside other judges from around the world, all of whom have extensive experience in screenwriting, filmmaking, and diverse cultures. Their responsibility is to assess and select the winners, finalists, and runners-up for the film festival, which will take place in the United States (Glover, North Carolina).
The USPSC International Film Festival is an all-inclusive festival that celebrates films and series about the first families and White House stories, with a focus on supporting aspiring filmmakers in securing funding and production opportunities.
In addition to his judging role, Osarfo’s recent supernatural horror screenplay has garnered recognition, including selection for the prestigious Nostos Screenwriters Retreats hosted in Italy (Arezzo, Tuscany). He was among 8 screenwriters selected across the globe for a two-week intensive training in an environment structured to foster collaboration and high-quality script development.
He has also achieved success in various genre-friendly competitions, placing and winning awards for:
WINNER, Best Original Screenplay – Hollywood Blood Horror Festival.
WINNER – Best Supernatural Horror Script – Hollywood Horrorfest.
WINNER – Best Horror Screenplay – Hollywood Just4shorts Film and Screenplay Contest.
FINALIST (twice) – 13Horror.com Film & Screenplay Contest.
FINALIST Horror/Thriller category – Creative World Awards (CWA).
SEMI-FINALIST – Los Angeles Crime and Horror Film Festival.
SEMI-FINALIST – Filmmatic Short Script Contest.
SEMI-FINALIST – Screenwriters Network (SWN) Script Competition.
Entertainment
I received confirmation from God before I divorced my husband – Ohemaa Mercy
Ghanaian gospel music diva, Ohemaa Mercy has surprisingly revealed that she received a confirmation from God before she divorced her husband.
Ohemaa Mercy and her husband Mr. Isaac Twum-Ampofo are currently divorced.
Over the years, Ohemaa Mercy, had been tight-lipped about her marriage challenges and subsequent divorce.
During an interview on TV3’s Today’s Woman with Cookie Tee, she revealed that the Holy Spirit guided her to seek for divorce.
This, according to her, was to aid her focus on her ministry and avoid any destruction.
In the interview she shared that during COVID-19, she spent time praying and seeking God’s direction, which led her to take the “bold step” of divorce.
“I remember when I was going through divorce. During COVID-19, I depended solely on God for direction, I had a strong covenant with him. I will go to the mountains to pray for three months and I really wanted to hear what the Lord will tell me about what is going on around me. So, when I heard it clearly, I took that bold step. I had the confirmation from God, If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have done it,” she revealed.
Ohemaa Mercy stated that her ex-husband agreed to the decision and they remain on good terms, prioritizing their children and supporting each other.
The gospel musician emphasised that her divorce has allowed her to experience God’s presence and guidance more strongly in her life than before.
“I give God the glory because I am divorced but this is the time I have seen the hand of God so strong on my life, even more than when I was married,” she said.
“When I spoke to my partner too, he understood that we needed to take a break and pray and see what the Lord will do. I told him, ‘I really want us to take a break and move the Ministry, which I know is your passion for me. Let me run with it, let’s take care of the kids and support each other. If I’m going through something, we talk about it. I don’t want to fail God because I feel I’m failing God”, she stated.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
