The eighth edition of The Beatz Awards will accommodate more underserved individuals in the music ecosystem, the Founder, Elijah John, has said.
John gave the assurance in a statement in Lagos on Friday.
The Beatz Awards is a Nigerian awards music show introduced in November 2015 by Eliworld International Ltd. to recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements of the creative minds behind music production, business and distribution.
John, also the Chief Executive Officer of Eliworld International Ltd., said that the eighth edition tagged: `The Octave’, would feature a new category called the Female Producer of the Year.
According to him, the category makes the edition unique.
“This is the first of its kind in the industry as we have quite a number of female producers in this industry.
“We want to be the first to push this narrative while making sure that they are properly recognised.
“From inception, we have had the female DJ category, but did not have a category for female producers.
“Some of them might not be as big as you expect them to be, but because they are in that space already, this award shines a spotlight on them and would encourage others to begin to come out,” he said.
John said that the nominees’ party for the awards would take place on Oct. 28 while the awards would hold on Nov. 18 at the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos.
“There are 25 different categories, and the minimum number of nominees in each of the categories is five.
“While the awards are also now open to public voting for people to vote their favourites, the selection process was rigorous because everybody shortlisted in each category is a winner.
“Opening the winner up to public voting is in a bid to try to involve consumers of the music in the process,’’ he said.
John condemned discrimination in the music industry, saying that it hindered growth.
“We have to all come together in order to move the narrative forward, and to ensure the Nigerian music scene is globally accepted.
“Both the music producers and the artistes have to come together to grow. Global attention is good, but we must keep developing,” he said.
Davido, DJ Lambo, Cohbams Asuquo and others won awards in different categories at the seventh edition of the Beatz Awards held at Muson Centre, Lagos, in November 2022.
Hip-hop star, Davido, won the best songwriter award, while Disc Jockey (DJ), Olawunmi Okerayi, emerged the best female DJ of the year for the second consecutive year.
Music producer, Cobhams Asuquo, was honoured with lifetime achievement award.
Blaise Beat won the producer of the year award.
Silverbird Television won the best entertainment television station of the year award and MTV Base emerged the entertainment cable of the year.