Lekhfa album makers — trio Maryam Saleh, Maurice Louca and Tamer Abu Ghazaleh — have been awarded Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African Rock by AFRIMA's 5th edition in Accre, Ghana, Saturday.

"We are proud to announce that Lekhfa ... have been awarded an AFRIMA Award," the album producers Mostakell Records stated Tuesday.

All three musicians have established themselves on the alternative Arabic music scene with respective solo albums and work with other musicians, making their collaboration a powerful one that has the fans of each waiting in anticipation.

They've also teamed up with Mido Zoheir, a talented poet and songwriter.

Mostakell is a music label for indie Arabic music operating under Eka3 platform, founded by Abu Ghazaleh, with the support of the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC).

Singer and songwriter Saleh is among the most prominent figures in the Egyptian underground music scene. Her repertoire is steeped in experimentation, with previous collaborations with Abu Ghazaleh and Louca.

Saleh, began her music career participating in the Baraka band, which reinterpreted Sheikh Imam’s songs with rock music, and Gawaz Safar band, which she founded, before commencing her solo career.

Her first album, Mesh Baghanny (I Don’t Sing), was released in 2012. On her second album, Halawella, which was released in 2015, she collaborated with Lebanese electro-pop musician Zeid Hamdan.

Also a theatre artist, Saleh's theatre experience includes collaborations with El-Warsha and Tamy troupes as well as the Choir Project. The singer has also acted in several films and television series, among them Ibrahim El-Batout’s Eye of the Sun (2008), and Tamer El-Said’s In the Last Days of the City (2016).

Louca rose to the scene in 2005 with the formation of Bikya, an electronic ensemble that also includes Mahmoud Refaat and Mahmoud Waly.

His first solo album, Garraya, was released in January 2011 on Cairo's 100Copies music label, while his second album, titled Benhayyi Al-Baghbaghan (Salute the Parrot), was released in 2014, featuring Louca's compositions and revamps of local sounds from the Mahraganat music scene, a genre that blends folkloric Egyptian music and psychedelic and electronic influences.

Abu Ghazaleh is an established Palestinian musician, multi-instrumentalist, and composer.                           

His repertoire comprises three albums: his debut release, Janayen El-Ghona, in 2001, Mir’ah (Mirror) released in 2008 and most recently Thulth (Third), a nine-track album released in May 2016, which featured his own compositions and lyrics, amidst extracts of poetry by Qais Ibnul Mulawah, Tamim Al-Barghouti, Ramez Farag and Naguib Sorour.

All AFRIMA awards

Nigeria’s Davido took home the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) trophy for artist of the year, leading a strong showing for the West African powerhouse famous for its roster of Afrobeats stars.

Musicians from across the continent came to the Accra International Conference Centre in Ghana’s capital on Saturday to walk the red carpet and celebrate a year of big hits.

Betty G from Ethiopia took home album of the year, while best African DJ went to Afrotronix, who has roots in Chad. Uganda’s Bebe Cool was best male artist from East Africa.

Nigerian rapper Falz took home the award for best African rapper after courting controversy this year when he released “This is Nigeria”, a cover of the Childish Gambino hit that skewered modern Nigeria.

“Akwaaba”, an infectious collaboration between GuiltyBeatz, Mr. Eazi, Patapaa and Pappy Kojo won song of the year and best African collaboration.

Nigeria’s 2Baba won the award for best African pop, Ghana’s Stonebwoy for best reggae, and South Africa’s Sibusiso Mashiloane for best jazz.

Kuami Eugene, a Ghanaian crooner, was named the “most promising” artist in Africa.

AFRIMA has carved out a space as a platform to showcase the innovative and prolific African music industry that has exploded in the past decade.

Full list of winners:

REGIONAL CATEGORY

Best Female Artiste in Central Africa: Daphne / Cameroon / Jusqu à La Gare

Best Male Artiste in Central Africa: Fally Ipupa / DRC / Mannequin Ft Keback & Naz

Best Female Artiste in Eastern Africa: Betty G / Ethiopia / Mengedegna

Best Male Artiste in Eastern Africa: Bebe Cool / Uganda / Freedom

Best Female Artiste in Northern Africa: Lyna Mahyem ft Medi Meyz /Algeria / Bye Bye

Best Male Artiste in Northern Africa: Hamza El Fadly / Morocco / Ya Mraya

Best Female Artiste in Southern Africa: Shekhinah / South Africa / Please Mr

Best Male Artiste in Southern Africa: Nasty C / South Africa / Jungle

Best Female Artiste in Western Africa: Tiwa Savage / Nigeria / Ma Lo Ft. Wizkid & Spellz

Best Male Artiste in Western Africa: Davido / Nigeria / Fia

CONTINENTAL CATEGORY:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Betty G / Ethiopia / Wegegta

ARTISTE OF THE YEAR: Davido / Nigeria / FIA

BEST AFRICAN VIDEO: Sesan / Gringo (Shatta Wale) / Nigeria

BEST AFRICAN ACT IN DIASPORA: Hazel Mak / Malawi / Jaiva Ft. Roberto & Tay Grin

BEST AFRICAN COLLABORATION: GuiltyBeatz, Mr. Eazi, Patapaa & Pappy Kojo / Ghana-Nigeria / Akwaaba

BEST ARTISTE, DUO OR GROUP IN AFRICAN CONTEMPORARY: Kidi / Ghana / Odo Remix Ft. Mayorkun & Davido

BEST ARTISTE, DUO OR GROUP IN AFRICAN DANCE OR COREOGRAPHY: Mr P. / Nigeria / Ebeano

BEST AFRICAN DJ: Afrotronix / Chad / OyO

BEST ARTISTE, DUO OR GROUP IN AFRICAN ELECTRO: Master KG / South Africa / Skeleton Move Ft. Zanda Zakuza

BEST AFRICAN DUO, GROUP OR BAND: Toofan / Togo / Money

BEST ARTISTE, DUO OR GROUP IN AFRICAN HIP HOP: M.ANIFEST FT KING PROMISE / Ghana / ME NE WOA

BEST ARTISTE, DUO OR GROUP IN AFRICAN JAZZ: Sibusiso Mashiloane / South Africa / Niza

BEST AFRICAN RAPPER OR LYRICIST: Falz / Nigeria / La Fête

BEST ARTISTE, DUO OR GROUP IN AFRICAN POP: 2Baba / Nigeria / Amaka Ft. Peruzzi

BEST ARTISTE, DUO OR GROUP IN AFRICAN RAGGA, REGGAE & DANCEHALL: Stonebwoy / Ghana / Hero

BEST ARTISTE, DUO OR GROUP IN AFRICAN R “N”B &; SOUL: Praiz / Nigeria / Champagne and Flowers

BEST ARTISTE, DUO OR GROUP IN AFRICAN ROCK: Maryam Saleh, Maurice Louca, Tamer Abu Ghazaleh / Egypt / Ekaa Maksour

BEST ARTISTE, DUO OR GROUP IN AFRICAN TRADITIONAL: Irene Namatovu / Uganda / Nsambila Nyuma Nga Janzi

BEST FEMALE ARTISTE IN AFRICAN INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC: Sandra Nankoma / Uganda / Kaddugala

BEST MALE ARTISTE IN AFRICAN INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC: Sarkodie / Ghana / Glory Ft. Yung

MOST PROMISING ARTISTE IN AFRICA: Kuami Eugene / Ghana / Confusion

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: Fresh VDM / Togo / Fia

REVELATION OF THE AFRICAN CONTINENT: Betty G / Ethiopia / Ere Manew

SONG OF THE YEAR: GuiltyBeatz, Mr. Eazi, Patapaa & Pappy Kojo / Akwaaba / Ghana

SONG WRITER OF THE YEAR: Shekhinah Donell, Amon Taulo Chibiya II / South Africa / Different Ft. Mariechan

AFRICAN FANS’ FAVOURITE: Nedy Music / Tanzania / One and Only Ft. Ruby

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