Who Won TGMA Artist of the Year? Full 2026 TGMA Winners List Revealed

The Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre was transformed into a bastion of musical excellence on Saturday night, May 9, 2026, for the 27th Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA). In a night defined by glitz, high-stakes performances, and intense fan rivalry, Black Sherif emerged as the ultimate victor, reclaiming the prestigious Artiste of the Year title.

The “Iron Boy” star’s victory caps off an extraordinary year where he dominated international streaming charts and local airwaves alike. Beating out a heavyweight field that included Medikal, Stonebwoy, Wendy Shay, Sarkodie, and Diana Hamilton, Black Sherif proved his 2023 success was no fluke. His win was the climax of an evening that also saw veterans like Stonebwoy and Kofi Kinaata solidify their legacies with multiple honors.

The night was largely a duel between the “Sherif” and “El Chairmano” (Medikal), with the latter securing several early wins before the night’s biggest honor was announced. Below is the comprehensive breakdown of who won what in each category, featuring the full nominee list for each battle.

Artiste of the Year: The Night’s Crowning Moment

The Artiste of the Year remains the most coveted prize in Ghanaian music. This year’s race was one of the most competitive in recent memory, pitting legacy icons against modern streaming giants.

• Black Sherif (WINNER)
• Medikal
• Stonebwoy
• Wendy Shay
• Sarkodie
• Diana Hamilton

Full 2026 TGMA Winners and Nominees List

Best Hiplife Song

• “Shoulder” – Medikal ft. Shatta Wale & Beeztrap KOTM (WINNER)
• “Habit” – Fameye ft. Medikal
• “Tontonte” – Ko-Jo Cue ft. AraTheJay & Ofori Amponsah
• “Next Door” – Kojo Blak ft. Sarkodie
• “Messiah” – Sarkodie ft. Kweku Flick
• “Badness” – Kwesi Amewuga

Best Highlife Song

• “It Is Finished” – Kofi Kinaata (WINNER)
• “Foko!” – King Paluta
• “Aso II” – Kwabena Kwabena ft. Stonebwoy & Kofi Kinaata
• “Obi Adi” – Amerado
• “Do Better” – Kuami Eugene

Best HipHop Song

• “Where Dem Boys” – Black Sherif (WINNER)
• “Balenciaga” – O’Kenneth
• “Violence” – Sarkodie ft. Kweku Smoke
• “Adu The Borga” – Kweku Smoke
• “Same Timbs” – Gona Boy
• “The Matter” – Lalid

Best Afropop Song

• “Sacrifice” – Black Sherif (WINNER)
• “Sankofa” – Gyakie
• “Gidi Gidi” – Stonebwoy
• “See What We’ve Done” – King Promise ft. Mr Eazi
• “Bend” – OliveTheBoy ft. Sarkodie
• “Olivia” – Lasmid

Collaboration of the Year

• “Shoulder” – Medikal ft. Shatta Wale & Beeztrap KOTM (WINNER)
• “Excellent” – Kojo Blak ft. Kelvyn Boy
• “Gymnastic” – KiDi ft. OliveTheBoy & Kojo Blak
• “Crazy Love” – Wendy Shay ft. OliveTheBoy
• “Violence” – Sarkodie ft. Kweku Smoke
• “Aso II” – Kwabena Kwabena ft. Stonebwoy & Kofi Kinaata

International Collaboration of the Year

• “Shake It To The Max (RMX)” – Moliy, Shenseea, Skillibeng & Silent Addy (WINNER)
• “So It Goes” – Black Sherif ft. Fireboy DML
• “Too Late Remix” – Wendy Shay ft. Bedjine, Phina & Guchi
• “Meet 4 Corner” – Lasmid ft. TML Vibez
• “See What We’ve Done” – King Promise ft. Mr Eazi
• “Body Go” – Moliy ft. Tyla

Best Male Vocal Performance

• “Akoma” – Asiama (WINNER)
• “By Prayer” – Perez Musik
• “Time (Live Session)” – Deon Boakye
• “Yehoda” – Carl Clottey
• “Catch-22” – Josh Blakk

Best Female Vocal Performance

• “Amin” – Enam (WINNER)
• “See Me Through” – Grace Charles (Team Eternity GH)
• “Beni Tookwɛiloi” – Lordina the Soprano
• “Breathe” – Cina Soul
• “Show Me How to Love” – Niiella

Best Afrobeats Song

• “Excellent” – Kojo Blak ft. Kelvyn Boy (WINNER)
• “Gymnastic” – KiDi ft. OliveTheBoy & Kojo Blak
• “Crazy Love” – Wendy Shay ft. OliveTheBoy
• “OMG” – Mr Drew ft. OliveTheBoy
• “No Issues” – Lasmid ft. King Promise

Album or EP of the Year

• Iron Boy – Black Sherif (WINNER)
• Torcher – Stonebwoy
• AfterMidnight – Gyakie
• Disturbation 2 – Medikal
• Ready – Wendy Shay
• Walk With Me – Kweku Smoke

Songwriter of the Year

• “Sacrifice” – Black Sherif (WINNER)
• “Have Mercy II” – Kofi Kinaata
• “Take Me Home” – Cofi Boham
• “Abebere” – Ko-Jo Cue
• “Obi Nnim” – Akwaboah
• “Send Them a Prayer” – Stonebwoy

Best Highlife Artiste

• Kofi Kinaata (WINNER)
• Fameye
• King Paluta
• Kwabena Kwabena
• Kuami Eugene

Best Reggae/Dancehall Artiste

• Stonebwoy (WINNER)
• Samini
• Ras Kuuku

Factual Insights into TGMA 2026:

• Double Victory: This is the second time Black Sherif has taken home the Artiste of the Year award, his first being in 2023.
• Streaming Power: Black Sherif entered the night as Ghana’s most-streamed artist for the third consecutive year.
• Category Sweep: Black Sherif secured a total of five awards including Album of the Year and Songwriter of the Year.
• Vocal Excellence: Enam’s win in Best Female Vocal Performance marked her first major TGMA trophy, beating former winner Cina Soul.
• Highlife King: Kofi Kinaata’s win for Best Highlife Artiste further cements his status as a “Highlife Titan” with multiple trophies in this category across various editions.
• International Footprint: Moliy’s “Shake It To The Max” remix win highlights the growing global reach of Ghanaian female artists.

With the curtain closing on TGMA 27, the dominance of the younger generation led by Black Sherif and Medikal suggests a new era for Ghanaian music, while veterans like Stonebwoy continue to hold their ground in the Reggae/Dancehall space.

Also Read: “No Flirting, I Beg!” Black Sherif Shuts Down Fella Makafui Rumors