Last night, the Grand Arena at the Accra International Conference Centre was straight-up electric for the 26th Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) on May 10, 2025. If you weren’t there, trust me, you missed a whole vibe! From the red carpet dripping with style to performances that had us all losing our voices, this was Ghana’s music scene at its peak. Let’s dive into the gist, the moments that had everyone talking, and who walked away with the shiny trophies.
The Gist and Stories
The TGMA 2025 was a proper party, blending glitz, talent, and pure Ghanaian energy. The red carpet was a fashion war zone—think Empress Gifty in a gown that screamed royalty and King Paluta owning the suit game. Charterhouse leveled up this year with a split red carpet: one for the general crowd and a VIP one for the big names, keeping things smooth and classy. X was buzzing with fans posting, “This carpet is giving Met Gala vibes! 🇬🇭 #26thTGMA.”
The performances? Next level. King Promise had the whole arena singing along to Paris, while Stonebwoy’s Jejereje set the stage on fire—BHIM Nation was in full force! Fameye’s intro was so hype, one X user posted, “Fameye just snatched my soul with that entrance! 🔥 #26thTGMA.” Then there was the tear-jerker moment when Empress Gifty broke down accepting her award for Watch Me. You could feel the raw emotion through the screen.
Oh, and the PR hustle was real! Pros like MC Portfolio (repping King Paluta) and Tilly Akua Nipaa (Team King Promise) were working overtime, shaping the fan wars online. It wasn’t just about the music—it was a full-on spectacle, and we were here for every second of it.
Highlights That Had Us Speechless
- King Promise’s Crown Moment: After years of grinding, King Promise finally nabbed Artiste of the Year, plus Best Afropop Song (Paris) and Afrobeat/Afropop Artiste. He vowed to “be back” for more, and the crowd roared.
- Stonebwoy’s Reggae Dynasty: Stonebwoy made history with his 10th Reggae/Dancehall Artiste win and snagged Best Music Video for Jejereje. Talk about a legend
- Yaw Sarpong’s Legacy: The gospel icon got a Lifetime Achievement Award, and the standing ovation was deafening. Decades of ministry through music—respect
- New Kids on the Block: Yaw Darling kicked things off as Unsung Artiste, and Beeztrap KOTM won Best New Artiste, proving the future’s bright.
- Osibisa Tribute: Adina, Adomaa, and Titi Owusu’s performance honoring Osibisa’s late founder, Teddy Osei, was pure magic. Goosebumps all around.
- Gospel Vibes: Joe Mettle took Gospel Artiste of the Year, and Empress Gifty’s emotional speech had us all in our feels.
Full List of Winners and Categories
Here’s who took home the hardware, straight from the night’s results:
- Artiste of the Year: King Promise
- Unsung Artiste: Yaw Darling
- Best Hiplife Song: Bad Feeling by Tulenkey
- Best Male Vocalist: Joe Mettle
- Best Female Vocal Performance: I Choose to Praise by Esther Godwyll
- Best Highlife Song: Aseda by King Paluta
- Best Hip-Hop Song: Holy Ghost by Kweku Smoke
- Collaboration of the Year: Lomo Lomo by KiDi ft. Black Sherif
- International Collaboration of the Year: Doing of the Lord by Diana Hamilton ft. Mercy Chinwo
- Best Afropop Song: Paris by King Promise
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Yaw Sarpong
- Best Traditional Gospel Song: Watch Me by Empress Gifty
- Best Afrobeat Song: Asylum by Olivetheboy
- Best Music Video: Jejereje by Stonebwoy (dir. Banini)
- Gospel Artiste of the Year: Joe Mettle
- Producer of the Year: Kendybeats and King Paluta
- Best Afrobeat/Afropop Artiste: King Promise
- Best Urban/Contemporary Gospel Song: Defe Defe by Team Eternity
- Best New Artiste: Beeztrap KOTM
- Album/EP of the Year: True to Self by King Promise
- Songwriter of the Year: Team Eternity Ghana
- Best Reggae/Dancehall Artiste: Stonebwoy
Some categories like Best African Song, Traditional Artiste, and Titan Award didn’t have clear winner details in the sources. With 32 awards handed out, the night was stacked!
Why This Night Was Everything
The TGMA is more than just awards—it’s Ghana’s heartbeat, from hiplife to gospel, Afrobeats to reggae. King Promise’s win felt like a win for every fan who’s been riding with him. Stonebwoy’s streak? Untouchable. And that Osibisa tribute reminded us how deep our musical roots go. The night showed the world Ghana’s music scene is a force, and the fan love on X proved it. One post summed it up: “TGMA 2025 just raised the bar! 🇬🇭🎤 #26thTGMA.”
What was your favorite moment? For me, it’s gotta be that Osibisa tribute—straight to the soul. Drop yours in the comments, and let’s keep the TGMA love going till next year!
Sources: Ghanaweb.com, Gbcghanaonline.com, Adomonline.com, Ghanamusicawards.com, and posts on X.
