:  The votes are in for the first round of the Pan-African Listeners’ Choice category for the MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021 and the nominees have been announced. Twenty artists from 18 different African countries will now go head-to-head against one another as music fans across the continent put in their votes for their favourites. The winner will be revealed at the MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021 that will be hosted virtually in partnership with Uganda, the Pearl of Africa, on 20 February 2021.

The Listeners’ Choice category gives music lovers across the continent the opportunity to have their voices heard. The majority of the list of finalists for this category was determined by votes on local radio stations and social media, selecting the best publicly-voted musicians from different African countries.

“The MAMA is all about bringing the music to the people, celebrating the best that Africa has to offer and uniting us through African youth culture,” says Monde Twala, Senior Vice President and General Manager at ViacomCBS Networks Africa (VCNA). “The Listeners’ Choice Award embodies this philosophy, as it ensures that the voices of music lovers across the diverse countries on the continent are recognised.”

The nominees for the MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021 Listeners’ Choice category are:

Anna Joyce (Angola)

ASAPH (Zimbabwe)

Dagi D (Ethiopia)

DBN Gogo & DJ Dinho (South Africa)

Didi B (Cote D’Ivoire)

Drizilik (Sierra Leone)

Focalistic (South Africa)

Khaligraph Jones (Kenya)

Locko (Cameroon)

Malome Vector (Lesotho)

Meddy (Rwanda)

Mohamed Ramadan (Egypt)

Ngaaka Blindé (Senegal)

Pallaso (Uganda)

Rayvanny (Tanzania)

Sarkodie (Ghana)

Shirazee (Benin)

Slick Stuart & DJ Roja (Uganda)

Souhila Ben Lachhab (Algeria)

Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)

The MAMA is brought to you in partnership with Uganda, The Pearl of Africa to recognize and reward musicians, trailblazers and those who are shining a light on the continent’s diverse talent and creativity by having a positive impact on African music and youth culture over the previous year. The MAMA also provides the opportunity to expand the African narrative by showcasing Uganda’s diversity, culture, talent, heritage and wildlife, to a global audience.

The winner will be revealed at the MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021 that will be hosted virtually in partnership with Uganda, the Pearl of Africa, on 20 February 2021 at 20:00 WAT / 21:00 CAT / 22:00 EAT.

To support your country’s artists, please go to www.mtvmama.com and vote for your favourite in the Listeners’ Choice category. Voting closes on 31 January 2021.

For more information on the MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021, please go to www.mtvmama.com, like us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/MTVBaseVerified, or follow us on Twitter and Instagram @MTVBaseAfrica. To join the conversation about the awards, please use the hashtag #MTVMAMA2021 #VISITUGANDA.