The Trace Awards & Summit 2025 is scheduled to take place from February 24 to 26, 2025, at the Mora Zanzibar Resort, to honour the outstanding achievements in African and Afro-inspired music across 24 categories.
This year’s ceremony holds special significance for Kenya, as Bien-Aimé Baraza, popularly known as Bien and the lead vocalist of Sauti Sol, has been nominated in the “Best Artist – Eastern Africa” category.
Bien stands out as the sole Kenyan nominee, reflecting his remarkable impact on the regional music landscape.
In a 2024 interview, Bien emphasised the importance of creating music that resonates.
“If Bien is amazing, people will look for Kenyan music and find other artistes.”
In the same interview, he highlighted the significance of Swahili in reaching a broader audience.
“Swahili is spoken by 150 million people and those are customers and ambassadors of our culture. So, we have to make music for that community wherever they are in the world and use them to propel us out onto the global sphere.”
Which is an important point given the competition he faces from our neighbours in the same category.
In the “Best Artist – Eastern Africa” category, Bien goes up against notable artists such as Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz, Harmonize, Marioo, Zuchu, and Nandy.
Also in the same category is Uganda’s Joshua Baraka; and Ethiopia’s Rophnan.
The Trace Awards aim to recognize and amplify the voices of African and global talent, showcasing cultural pride and the continent’s profound influence on global music.
Fans worldwide were invited to participate in the voting process, which opened on January 2, 2025, and concluded on February 15, 2025.
