The MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA) will return in early 2021 for the first time in years amid the coronavirus pandemic and for the first time hosted in country Uganda.
The music celebration, which last took place in 2016, will be put on as a virtual event on Febuary, 20.
Through social media, MTV Africa confirmed that the awards will happen in Kampala, Uganda on 20th February 2021.
“It’s official! Africa’s biggest celebration of music is heading to Uganda. The #MTVMAMA takes place in Kampala on the 20th of February 2021,” MTV revealed in Twitter.
“In this pivotal year, the events that have happened all over the world has affected everyone, young people in particular, and their vision of the future,” said Monde Twala, general manager for Viacom CBS Networks Africa in a statement released
Monde added that: “Over the years, the MAMA has demonstrated to have the power to inspire young people and unifying communities across the continent through music, which is the main reason why we decided to bring back the MAMA now.”
He also noted that the essence of the MAMA awards is to inspire young people, unify them and give them much needed hope in one of the most difficult moments in history, connect them, and through this virtual innovation.
“We are confident that we will deliver positive change which can inspire critical conversations through music and culture,” he added
Monde added that, for now, the event is focused on delivering the best event ever for the upcoming 2021 MAMA in partnership with the Uganda Ministry of Tourism.
“We are committed to bringing this celebration to all our fans across the continent and internationally, as we believe this event is a testament of our long-standing commitment towards the young generation via the power of music,” he said.
Monde further noted that the MAMA has always been a celebration and recognition of African music, talent, and culture, and we would love to bring more MAMAs to the African continent.”
“For the February return, the Uganda partnership will lead to the inclusion of the country’s capital in the seventh MAMA’s name: MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021,” he revealed
The show will air across the continent on the MTV Base and MTV networks, featuring “vibrant performances from African and international artists and the show’s signature cross-genre and cross-border collaborations.” It will also air as a one-hour MAMA-themed MTV World Stage on MTV and BET international channels across “multiple” other continents.
The event will feature 20 award categories, including best song, best collaboration, best female, best male, and the MAMA Generation Change Award. New honors this year will also include ones for the Alone Together Best Lockdown Performance, Best Fan Base, and Personality of the Year, which will “recognize outstanding personalities that have been at the forefront of culture on the continent during the year and include non-music stars” from the worlds of sports, celebrity, and industry. Nominees will be announced in December.
The 2008 and 2010 events took place in Nigeria, first in Abuja and then in Lagos. The 2009 event happened in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. After a three-year hiatus, the MAMA returned in 2014 in Durban, South Africa, which also hosted the 2015 edition. The most recent version in 2016 also happened in South Africa, but moved to Johannesburg.
