Lasmid, Malcolm Nuna tipped as front-runners for ‘Best New Artiste’ at 2023 VGMAs

Interestingly, there have been wide debates about who wins this year’s VGMA ‘Best New Artiste’ award, a category that recognizes the most promising up-and-coming artistes in the Ghanaian music space.

On E-Forum hosted by Abrantepa, Vida Adutwumwaa, a panelist, gave her thoughts on the category, stating that ‘Best New Artiste’ falls between Lasmid and Malcolm Nuna.

“Don’t underestimate Malcolm’s efforts. I look at where he came from, where he has gotten to, and some stages that he has mounted, but then with Lasmid, because of his Friday night song, it is ringing in people’s heads,” she stated.

Adutwumwaa went on to express sympathy for DJ Azonto, whose hit song ‘Fa no F)m’ was not nominated for Popular Song of the Year.

However, she acknowledged that CharterHouse, the organizers of VGMA, had been smart in using the song in their promos.

“Charter House is smart because most of their promos have DJ Azonto’s song playing in the background as if to calm him. I think it’s between Lasmid and Malcolm Nuna,” she added.

Caleb Nii Boye, another industry stakeholder, also shared his thoughts on the category, stating, “I think Lasmid has quite an advantage over the others. For the two, Lasmid and Malcolm, one song had more strength than the other, but it’s good that when you are going for a race, there are two forces to reckon with.”

He added that when there is a competition between two selected artistes, there is excitement and tension for the people supporting them.

He cited Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale’s contest for the Best Dancehall Act in 2019 as an example.

“It makes it exciting because when you are seated and waiting on the winner, you get tense. It reminds me of the 2019, Reggae Artiste Dancehall of the Year when the camera was focused on Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale. The tension in the room alone was high,” he said.