Kisima Music Awards
Encyclopedia
The Kisima Music Awards is an annual awards program that recognises musical talent in East Africa
. Despite being Kenya
n-based the scheme awards artists from a variety of countries, predominately Kenya, Uganda
and Tanzania
, and incorporates a range of music genres.
word for "well" the Kisima Awards were founded by Tedd Josiah
in 1994. The scheme initially aimed to recognise outstanding achievement in the performing arts and associated spheres such as education and business, and was held locally at Nairobi's
Braeburn Theatre with clay tropheys being awarded. This process continued annually with the awards being held at the Carnivore Restaurant
, however in 1997 the scheme was discontinued.
The awards were revitalised in 2003, with organisers arranging to coincide its events with the Fête de la Musique
. With increased funding and support from both government and sponsors the new scheme featured updated nomination and voting processes, larger award ceremonies held at a customised Kisima Dome tent and targeted artists from across the nation. However rather than all performing arts the new awards now recognised only musical talent.
In 2004 the scheme was expanded to incorporate artists from all of East Africa, no longer restricting the talent to Kenya, and subsequently recognised musicians from Uganda and Tanzania. In 2005 Tedd Josiah stepped down as CEO of the awards amid controversy surrounding his winning of the Best Producer Award, appointing Victor Mayeya Odwori in his place.
The awards have since continued to expand, attracting international entrants and personalities, and have come to be an integral part of both Kenyan music and culture. . However, the 2008 event was repeatedly delayed and eventually held a year later .
After the cut off date for nomination all entries are screened for eligibility and categories are determined based on the field of contestants. A "nomination academy" made up of recognised members of the East African music scene then reduce each category to 4-5 finalists based on artistic flair and technical achievement, sales and chart positions are not taken into account during nomination.
The winners within each category are determined by a twofold voting system. The first is a percentage of the final score allocated to the nomination academy who individually vote for their preferred artist/group. The second is a larger percentage allocated to the general public who vote via SMS
for their favourite artist after having access to various music samples on the official website. All the votes go to an independent auditing firm who determine the final winner.
After the gala night a winner's concert is held open to the public. Artists have also been called on to participate in tours in reflection of the social responsibility of the awards
with both artists and their audience. This is achieved through presentations and speeches at the gala night, the recognition of a category dedicated to social awareness and charity concerts and tours held after the event. Through this the organisers hope to use music to improve conditions and reduce poverty in Africa
.
In 2004 the then CEO of the scheme Tedd Josiah received the award for Best Producer, and faced allegations of "swinging himself an award". He subsequently resigned citing a conflict of interest, and claimed he had pleaded with the judges not to allow him in the category.
Musicians and producers such as Lydia Achieng Abura have also been critical of the voting system used to decide the awards, citing that SMS was predominately used by youth and that this combined with the ability to vote an indefinite number of times would produce a flawed representation of the popularity of an artist. They claim that voting should lie with a panel of judges..
In 2006 at least five artist refused to attend the winners concert, Beach Fusion, claiming they had not entered into a performance contract with the event organisers. These claims were refuted by the organisers, who alleged the concert was solely for charity and that contestants had been briefed prior to the events
The scheme does not award monetary prizes, although each trophey is worth Sh20,000 (about US$250).
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
. Despite being Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
n-based the scheme awards artists from a variety of countries, predominately Kenya, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
and Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, and incorporates a range of music genres.
History
Named after the SwahiliSwahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
word for "well" the Kisima Awards were founded by Tedd Josiah
Tedd Josiah
Tedd Josiah is a music producer from Kenya. He started as a musician, first briefly with the group Ebony Affair before forming a new group, Hart in 1993. The group was disbanded in 1995 and Josiah joined Sync Sound Studios as a producer. In 1999 he left Sync Sound Studios and formed Audio Vault...
in 1994. The scheme initially aimed to recognise outstanding achievement in the performing arts and associated spheres such as education and business, and was held locally at Nairobi's
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
Braeburn Theatre with clay tropheys being awarded. This process continued annually with the awards being held at the Carnivore Restaurant
Carnivore Restaurant
Carnivore is an open-air restaurant in the Langata suburb of Nairobi, Kenya. Carnivore's specialty is meat, and features an all-you-can-eat meat buffet. They serve a wide variety of meat and are famous for their game meat. It is a popular tourist destination....
, however in 1997 the scheme was discontinued.
The awards were revitalised in 2003, with organisers arranging to coincide its events with the Fête de la Musique
Fête de la Musique
The Fête de la Musique, also known as World Music Day, is a music festival taking place on June 21.-History:The idea was first broached in 1976 by American musician Joel Cohen, then employed by the national French radio station France Musique. Cohen proposed an all-night music celebration at the...
. With increased funding and support from both government and sponsors the new scheme featured updated nomination and voting processes, larger award ceremonies held at a customised Kisima Dome tent and targeted artists from across the nation. However rather than all performing arts the new awards now recognised only musical talent.
In 2004 the scheme was expanded to incorporate artists from all of East Africa, no longer restricting the talent to Kenya, and subsequently recognised musicians from Uganda and Tanzania. In 2005 Tedd Josiah stepped down as CEO of the awards amid controversy surrounding his winning of the Best Producer Award, appointing Victor Mayeya Odwori in his place.
The awards have since continued to expand, attracting international entrants and personalities, and have come to be an integral part of both Kenyan music and culture. . However, the 2008 event was repeatedly delayed and eventually held a year later .
Categories
The Kisima Music Awards aim to cover a diverse range of music genres and the variety of roles within production. The categories have changed regularly since 2003, however those frequently recognised within the scheme are:- Best artist/group performing:
- Afro-fusionAfro-fusionAfro-fusion is a type of music which blends contemporary music with traditional African rhythms to create a hybrid music style.One of the best known Afro-fusion artists is Freshlyground from South Africa. There are also many Afro-fusion artists in Eastern Africa. Another is Afro Celt Sound System,...
- Asian MusicAsian musicAsian music encompasses numerous different musical styles originating from a large number of Asian countries.Musical traditions in Asia* Music of Central Asia** Music of Afghanistan** Music of Kazakhstan** Music of Mongolia** Music of Uzbekistan...
- Boomba RapBoomba musicBoomba music, also referred to as Kapuka , is a form of hip pop music popular in Kenya. It incorporates hip hop, reggae and African traditional musical styles. The lyrics are in Swahili, Sheng or local dialects...
- Boomba PopBoomba musicBoomba music, also referred to as Kapuka , is a form of hip pop music popular in Kenya. It incorporates hip hop, reggae and African traditional musical styles. The lyrics are in Swahili, Sheng or local dialects...
- Contemporary GospelGospel musicGospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
- Eastern BengaBenga musicBenga is a genre of Kenyan popular music. It evolved between the late 1940s and late 1960s, in Kenya's capital city of Nairobi. In the 1940s, the African Broadcasting Service in Nairobi aired a steady stream of soukous, South African kwela, Zairean finger-style guitar and various kinds of Cuban...
- Western BengaBenga musicBenga is a genre of Kenyan popular music. It evolved between the late 1940s and late 1960s, in Kenya's capital city of Nairobi. In the 1940s, the African Broadcasting Service in Nairobi aired a steady stream of soukous, South African kwela, Zairean finger-style guitar and various kinds of Cuban...
- Hip hopHip hopHip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
- R&B
- Rap
- ReggaeReggaeReggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
/RaggaRagga-Origins:Ragga originated in Jamaica during the 1980s, at the same time that electronic dance music's popularity was increasing globally. One of the reasons for ragga's swift propagation is that it is generally easier and less expensive to produce than reggae performed on traditional musical... - TraditionalTraditional musicTraditional music is the term increasingly used for folk music that is not contemporary folk music. More on this is at the terminology section of the World music article...
- Afro-fusion
- Best Artist/Group from Kenya/Tanzania/Uganda nb: separate award for each country
- Best Music VideoMusic videoA music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
Kenya/Tanzania/Uganda nb: separate award for each country - Best Song
- Best Album
- Best Collaboration
- Best Male Performer
- Best Female Performer
- Most Promising Performer
- Best Group
- Producer of the Year
- Most Socially Aware Artist
Nomination and voting
Artists, groups and producers are able to nominate themselves for an award or be nominated, although they must approve the latter. In order to be eligible for nomination artists must have worked on a song or album that has been released in the year prior to the entry. A hard copy of the nominee's profile, photographs and a sample CD/cassette is required with the entry form.After the cut off date for nomination all entries are screened for eligibility and categories are determined based on the field of contestants. A "nomination academy" made up of recognised members of the East African music scene then reduce each category to 4-5 finalists based on artistic flair and technical achievement, sales and chart positions are not taken into account during nomination.
The winners within each category are determined by a twofold voting system. The first is a percentage of the final score allocated to the nomination academy who individually vote for their preferred artist/group. The second is a larger percentage allocated to the general public who vote via SMS
SMS
SMS is a form of text messaging communication on phones and mobile phones. The terms SMS or sms may also refer to:- Computer hardware :...
for their favourite artist after having access to various music samples on the official website. All the votes go to an independent auditing firm who determine the final winner.
Ceremony
The pinnacle of the awards process is the gala night, in which winners are announced and receive their trophies. The contestants and audience, a crowd of thousands drawn from both influential media, political and cultural personalities and paying members of the general public, are also treated to a variety of acts including musical performances, comedy routines and acrobatics. The night itself can last for up to six hours and is broadcast across Africa by satellite television Channel O.After the gala night a winner's concert is held open to the public. Artists have also been called on to participate in tours in reflection of the social responsibility of the awards
Social responsibility
The awards aim to foster social responsibilitySocial responsibility
Social responsibility is an ethical ideology or theory that an entity, be it an organization or individual, has an obligation to act to benefit society at large. Social responsibility is a duty every individual or organization has to perform so as to maintain a balance between the economy and the...
with both artists and their audience. This is achieved through presentations and speeches at the gala night, the recognition of a category dedicated to social awareness and charity concerts and tours held after the event. Through this the organisers hope to use music to improve conditions and reduce poverty in Africa
Poverty in Africa
Poverty in Africa refers to the lack of basic human needs faced by certain segments of African society. African nations typically fall toward the bottom of any list measuring small size economic activity, such as income per capita or GDP per capita, despite a wealth of natural resources...
.
Kisima Music Trust
The governing body behind the awards is the Kisima Music Trust. It operates as a non-profit body and aims to bring stability to the Kenyan music scene and to encourage artists to perform both domestically and internationally. The organisation derives most of its funding from sponsorship, with the largest donors including:- Kenya Government
- Capital FM98.4 Capital FM98.4 Capital FM is a Kenyan urban music radio station. Its offices are situated on the 19th floor of Lonrho House, along Standard Street in Nairobi's Central Business District. It is owned by Chris Kirubi.- Background :...
- 3 Mice
- Deloitte
- Baraka FM
- Nu-Metro Cinema
- TMX
- Phat buzz
- Init
- Mac & More Solutions
- Radar
- Numetro Media Store
Kisima Award winners
Please see the respective page for the winners of that year- 2003 Kisima Music Awards2003 Kisima Music AwardsThe 2003 Kisima Music Awards signalled a revitalisation of the scheme. They were held in a customised "Kisima Dome" and hosted by radio presenters Bernard Otieno and Pinky Ghelani.-Winners:-External links:*...
- 2004 Kisima Music Awards2004 Kisima Music AwardsThe 2004 Kisima Music Awards featured a newly expanded scheme which aimed to incorporate artists from across East Africa, most predominately Uganda and Tanzania. It was also a source of controversy when the organisation's CEO Tedd Josiah was awarded the category for Best Producer...
- 2005 Kisima Music Awards2005 Kisima Music AwardsThe 2005 Kisima Music Awards continued the expansion begun in the previous year, incorporating both entrants and acts from across East Africa including Musaimo, Ida and Diaspora. The ceremony was hosted by Tedd Kwaka , Ugandan Diana Muyera and Kevin Ombajo, a well established personality in the...
- 2006 Kisima Music Awards2006 Kisima Music AwardsThe 2006 Kisima Music Awards were held in Nairobi, Kenya. They were the first of the awards to be broadcast across Africa on television, after the organisers partnered with South African satellite station Channel O, and was also the first to feature a "Social Responsibility" award category...
- 2007 Kisima Music Awards2007 Kisima Music AwardsThe 2007 Kisima Music Awards took place at Marula Manor, Nairobi, Kenya on 8 September 2007.-Winners:-References:**The Standard, September 14, 2007:...
Controversy
The Kisima Awards have experienced their share of controversy.In 2004 the then CEO of the scheme Tedd Josiah received the award for Best Producer, and faced allegations of "swinging himself an award". He subsequently resigned citing a conflict of interest, and claimed he had pleaded with the judges not to allow him in the category.
Musicians and producers such as Lydia Achieng Abura have also been critical of the voting system used to decide the awards, citing that SMS was predominately used by youth and that this combined with the ability to vote an indefinite number of times would produce a flawed representation of the popularity of an artist. They claim that voting should lie with a panel of judges..
In 2006 at least five artist refused to attend the winners concert, Beach Fusion, claiming they had not entered into a performance contract with the event organisers. These claims were refuted by the organisers, who alleged the concert was solely for charity and that contestants had been briefed prior to the events
The scheme does not award monetary prizes, although each trophey is worth Sh20,000 (about US$250).