After a month of exhaustive deliberations with an esteemed Voters’ Academy made up of African DJ’s, bloggers, VJs and entertainment industry figures, the Afrotainment Museke Online African Music Awards have announced the nominees for the second edition of the groundbreaking annual awards.

The awards are aimed at giving fans across the continent and in the Diaspora a voice and a chance to contribute to the acknowledgement of some of the finest in African musical talent. Submissions were received from fans, artists, record labels and management representing the best and a lot of up-and-coming artists from around the continent and the Diaspora.

Artists dominating nominations include South Africa’s Freshlyground, Nigeria’s 2Face Idibia, DRC’s Fally Ipupa and Senegal’s Viviane N’dour all 5 nominations each.The second annual Afrotainment Museke Online African Music Awards have come with the introduction of new categories which acknowledge the numerous genres that make up the African music scene. As previously announced, the Voters’ Choice category has been included in order to further engage with the African music fan in acknowledging artists who may not have enjoyed a lot of television airplay due to video submission restrictions, but went on to have an impact on the ground nonetheless. Dance is an integral part of African culture on various levels. The Tribal House category shows love to African-influenced dance genres including Kwaito, Kuduro and Coupe Decale.

The nominations are as follows:

Artiste of the year - 2Face Idibia -Nigeria Fally Ipupa – DRC Asa – Nigeria Maurice Kirya – Uganda Viviane Ndour – Senegal Kidumu – Burundi Professor – South Africa Male artiste of the year - 2Face Idibia -Nigeria Fally Ipupa – DRC Maurice Kirya – Uganda D’Banj – Nigeria Professor – South Africa DJ Arafat – Cote d’Ivoire Kidumu – Burundi

Female artiste of the year - Nneka – Nigeria Asa – Nigeria Viviane Ndour – Senegal Juliana Kanyomozi – Uganda Patience Dabany – Gabon Angelique Kidjo – Benin Neyma – Mozambique

Group of the year Liquideep – South Africa Freshlyground – South Africa P-Square – Nigeria Goodlyfe – Uganda TearGas – South Africa Toofan – Togo P-Unit – Kenya

New Artiste Cabo Snoop – Angola Diamond – Tanzania Ice Prince – Nigeria Jay Ghartey – Ghana Mo’Cheddah – Nigeria L-Tido – South Africa Wizkid – Nigeria

Best album - Fabrics of the heart – Liquideep – South Africa Beautiful Imperfection – Asa – Nigeria Radio Africa – Freshlyground – South Africa Progress – VIP – Ghana African Revolution – Tiken Jah Fakoly – Cote d’Ivoire MI2 – MI – Nigeria Presidents d’Afrique – DJ Awadi – Senegal

Most popular song - Jukpa remix – J Martins/Fally Ipupa – Nigeria Oleku – Ice Prince – Nigeria Sexy Dance – Fally Ipupa – DRC E no easy – P-Square – Nigeria African Girls – Castro/Asamoah Gyan – Ghana Ce magik – Toofan – Togo Windeck – Cabo Snoop – Angola

Best music video Bang it all – Paul G – Angola Moza girl – Dama do Bling – Mozambique Sama champion – Viviane Ndour – Senegal Only Me – 2Face – Nigeria Chicken to Change – Freshlyground – South Africa My lady – Jay Ghartey – Ghana Stars fall Down – Parlotones – South Africa

Best African Collabo Jukpa remix – J Martins/Fally Ipupa – Nigeria/DRC Toi et ta vie – Yvonne/Dama Do Bling – Kenya/Mozambique 12500 Volts – Dibi Dobo/DJ Arafat/Kamnouze – Benin/Cote d’Ivoire Bang it all – Paul G/Akon – Angola/Senegal Kiss your hand remix – R2Bees/Wande Coal – Ghana/Nigeria Songa mbele – Alpha/AY – Rwanda/Tanzania Nwa Baby remix – Flavour Nabania/Asem/Stone – Nigeria/Ghana

Record of the year - Only Me – 2Face – Nigeria One day – Eldee – Nigeria Ayamaah – Morale – South Africa Dans mon reve – Awadi – Senegal I will sing – Maurice Kirya – Uganda 7 wonders – Bkay & Kazz – Zimbabwe Bayi noon – Daara J Family – Senegal

Voter’s choice Ma preferee – Omar B – Togo Landale beat – Kibistone – DRC So Pwaa – CPWaa – Tanzania Dancehall Attitude – Lord Kemy – Guinea Feel me – Rachel K – Uganda In my head – Jon Germain – Ghana So in Love – Moh Dediouf – Senegal

Audio producer - Don Jazzy – Nigeria Bebe Philip – Cote d’Ivoire Hermy B – Tanzania Ulopa – Kenya RKay – Kenya 37mph – South Africa Killbeatz – Ghana

Video director - Clarence Peters – Nigeria Adam Juma – Tanzania Ogopa Video – Kenya Gorilla Films – South Africa Gelongal – Senegal DJ Marcel – Mozambique Jeff Attiogbe – Cote D’Ivoire

DJ of the year - DJ Edu – Nigeria DJ Black – Ghana DJ MixmasterBrown – Nigeria DJ Fully Focus – Kenya DJ Waxxy – Nigeria Eric Soul – Rwanda DJ Fresh – South Africa

West Africa song Oleku – Ice Prince – Nigeria Ce Magik – Toofan – Togo Kiss your hand – R2Bees – Ghana E no easy – P-Square – Nigeria Fima tollu – Viviane Ndour – Senegal Jukpa remix – J Martins – Nigeria African girls – Castro – Ghana

North Africa Ya Ana ya ya Mefish – Tamer Hosny – Egypt Nzour Nabra – Jalal El Hamdaoui – Algeria Jokko – Ahmed Soultan – Morocco Be winner – Fnaire ft Samira Said – Morocco Whowa – Oum – Morocco Laayoune Ayniya – Douzi – Algeria Sahbi – Cheb Bilal – Algeria

Central Africa - Sexy dance – Fally Ipupa – DRC Ca la – Lady Ponce – Cameroun Six millions y’a ba souci – Papa Wemba – DRC Zazou – Ferre Gola – DRC On vous connais – Patience Dabany – Gabon Sango – Idylle Mamba – Central African Republic Nakozanga – Lokua Kanza – DRC

East Africa Nitafanya – Kidumu – Burundi Kare – P-Unit – Kenya Songa mbele – Alpha – Rwanda Mbagala – Diamond – Tanzania Gaarsiiya – Ikraan Caraale – Somalia Haturudi nyuma – Juliana K – Uganda Kasepiki – Bebe Cool – Uganda

Southern Africa - Windeck – Cabo Snoop – Angola Kapiiripiiri – JK – Zambia Fire is low – Freshlyground – South Africa Mhlomo Wami – TearGas – South Africa Jezebel – Professor – South Africa Ilusao – Neyma – Mozambique Happy song – Fisherman – South Africa

Diaspora song Zambezi – Tinashe – Zimbabwe Voce me da – Clarisse Albrecht – Cameroun Rebound Chick – Nelson Freitas – Cape Verde Bien plus fort que mes mots – Kaysha – DRC Kilimanjaro – Shingai Shoniwa (Noisettes) – Zimbabwe My love – Tolumide – Nigeria Zamounda – La Selesao – DRC

Hip hop song - Oleku – Ice Prince – Nigeria Show dem – Jr – South Africa Ten over ten – Naeto C – Nigeria Get on the dancefloor – D-Black Karaboss – GPro – Mozambique Dans mon reve – Awadi – Senegal We rollin – L-Tido – South Africa

R&B/Soul - Holla at ya boy – Wizkid – Nigeria Kele Kele Love – Tiwa Savage – Nigeria Haturudi Nyuma – Juliana K – Uganda Mbagala – Diamond – Tanzania Wrong for you – Loyiso – South Africa Remember – Bracket – Nigeria Je la veux – Singuila – Central African Republic

Zouk/Kizomba song - Bien plus fort que mes mots – Kaysha – DRC Ilusao – Neyma ft Grace Evora – Mozambique Rebound Chick – Nelson Freitas – Cape Verde Vai dar bum – Ary – Angola Proibido – Djodje – Cape Verde Injusta – Yola Semedo – Angola Amour a 2, amour a vie – Sergeo Polo – Cameroun

Religious/Gospel song - Kupe De Kalle – Daddy Owen – Kenya Baba – Sonnie Badu – Ghana Papa God Ooh – MOG – Kenya A e phetehe thato ya hao – Kabelo Eric – Botswana Kiatu Kivue – Rose Muhando/Anastasia Mukabwa – Tanzania Covenant song – Rebecca & Uche – Nigeria Uyahalalela – Benjamin Dube – South Africa

Dancehall song - Heart attack (Vuvuzela) – Goodlyfe – Uganda Plantain boy – Timaya – Nigeria Kasepiki – Bebe Cool – Uganda Musarova Bigman – Winky D – Zimbabwe Data – Proff – Kenya Potential remix – General Ozzy – Zambia Sweet mistake – Samini – Ghana

Reggae song - African reggae fever – Rocky Dawuni – Ghana Marley – Youssou Ndour – Senegal Je dis non – Tiken Jah Fakoly – Ivory Coast Jokko – Ahmed Soultan – Algeria Clueless – Jah Seed – Zimbabwe Sex message – Jay Arr – Sierra Leone Viva Africa – Nneka – Nigeria

Alternative song - Mikono kwenye hewa – Muthoni – Kenya Something about you – Liquideep – South Africa Zambezi – Tinashe – Zimbabwe Ha- He (Makmende) – Just A Band – Kenya Jezebel – Professor – South Africa Let’s fall in love again – DJ Kent – South Africa Black Girl White Boy – Stefan Ludik – Namibia

Afro-pop - Songa mbele – Alpha – Rwanda E no easy – P-Square – Nigeria African girls – Castro – Ghana Mr. Endowed – D’Banj – Nigeria Implication – 2Face Idibia – Nigeria Shoga – Shaa – Tanzania Chokoza – Avril & Marya – Kenya

Afro hip-hop song - Kare – P-Unit – Kenya Aha ye de – Nana Boroo – Ghana Mhlobo Wami – TearGas – South Africa Independence Cha cha – Baloji – DRC Kama si sisi – Juliani – Kenya Mkono mmoja – Chege & Temba – Tanzania Away – VIP – Ghana

Acoustic song - Mnine da rua ma mim – Cordas do Sol – Cape Verde Boda boda – Maurice Kirya – Uganda Samahani – Dobet Gnahore – Cote d’Ivoire Prayer to the Saint of the Broken Hearted – Somi – Rwanda Nhi Ngugu Haladza – Tania Tome – Mozambique Deeqa – Aar Maanta – Somalia Nakozanga – Lokua Kanza – DRC

Afro-fusion - Be my man – Asa – Nigeria Move on up – Angelique Kidjo – Benin Fire is low – Freshlyground – South Africa Voce me da – Clarisse Albrecht – Cameroun Ma Jolie – Abd Al Malik – DRC Did I? – Lagbaja – Nigeria Saka Manje – Audius – Zimbabwe

Afro-rhyhtms song - Ta sair male – Puto Portugues – Angola Sexy Dance – Fally Ipupa – DRC Six Million ya ba souci – Papa Wemba – DRC Ca la – Lady Ponce - Cameroon Fima Tollu – Viviane Ndour – Senegal Magnaraha zah – Tence Mena – Madagascar Xitchuketa Marrabenta – Stewart Sukuma – Mozambique

Tribal House song - Windeck – Cabo Snoop – Angola Ce Magik – Toofan – Togo Djéssimidjéka – DJ Arafat – Ivory Coast Zamounda – La Selesao – DRC Kupe De Kalle – Daddy Owen – Kenya Happy song – DJ Fisherman – South Africa Zekete Zekete – Anges d’Afrik – DRC

Fans of African music are invited to take part in the Afrotainment Museke Online African Music Awards by voting for their favourite and artists they feel are most deserving of honours in the various categories from 10 August 2011 until 18 September 2011, when voting will close. Voting will take place on the awards’ website, www.moamas.com. The awards’ show will be hosted and broadcast from Afrotainment’s New York studios on September 24 2011, where African music fans will gather and get down to the beats of some of the most popular African artists as they provide the soundtrack to the celebration of the finest talent that the African continent has to offer.