Did TGMA27 deliver?

For many Ghanaians, age 27 is still considered young. Many may be fresh out of university, in their first jobs and trying to settle down.

But for a concept which many have seen rise, crash and burn within an average of five years, 27 is considered legendary status and an achievement worth applauding.

The 27th edition of the Telecel Ghana Music Awards took place after a series of controversies and nervous speculations from the public. And it delivered, in more ways than one.

A 'slow' buildup

Fresh out of the buzz and noise of the 2025 edition, many expected this year's TGMA buildup to be full of daily PR battles.

While the 2025 edition had personalities like MC Portfolio, Vida Adutwumwaa and Tilly Akua Nipa representing King Paluta, Stonebwoy and King Promise and duking it out on various media platforms, the 2026 edition saw artistes taking their PR into their own hands.

Artistes like Gyakie, Medikal and Wendy Shay utilised their social media handles to continuously affirm their spot as the one who deserved the award the most. But none of them had a loud and boisterous individual ready to fight tooth and nail like the year before.

The Grand Arena, which had always been available, was suddenly off the table until four days to the main event itself, leaving many wondering whether the show could be held successfully with such little time to set up.

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The D-day

The short setup schedule reared its ugly head on the day. Gates and the red carpet opened an hour later than scheduled. Additionally, the red carpet, which was supposed to be held at the foyer of the Accra International Conference Centre building, went back to the Grand Arena grounds, causing congestion at the entrance.

However, effective barricades and a general calmness in the area made up for the inconvenience.

The main show

Starting at 10:30pm, much later than usual, Unsung Artiste of the Year Morgan Nero opened the show with a fun performance of his hit song 'Agbozume Naomi,' followed by a symbolic performance by Female Vocalist of the Year Enam, which took everyone to their traditional roots.

Highlife Song of the Year winner Kofi Kinaata followed up with his own performance, which got everyone on their feet.

The first few sets of awards went smoothly enough, with performances and presentations flowing well for the first few hours.

But like every live event, issues began popping up. Dead microphones and distorted sound were being heard at various points, and there was even an instance where someone's microphone backstage was left on.

Stage setup for performances also seemed slower than usual, forcing organisers to drag out the side interviews to fill the gaps.

A failed tribute

The main hiccup of the night came during the Lifetime Achievement Award presentation for Daddy Lumba.

The award was to be received by his children, but the audience was left waiting for several minutes before the disputed Abusuapayin Kofi Owusu appeared on stage with a group of unrecognisable individuals, leaving many in the crowd confused.

The tribute performance that followed was another dampener. While Ofori Amponsah, Kwabena Kwabena and Okyeame Kwame sang their hearts out, the overall execution of the segment fell flat, and a failed attempt by Ras Kuuku at comedy drained whatever energy remained in the room.

That aside, the performances were a tale of fun and glitter. Samini, Wendy Shay, Black Sherif, Medikal, Fido and R2Bees kept the audience awake and dancing as the night stretched on.

Surprises

Some surprises were recorded along the way. Moliy winning Best Reggae/Dancehall Song of the Year over Stonebwoy drew mixed reactions from the audience. Medikal's 'Shoulder' claiming Most Popular Song of the Year also raised a few eyebrows among those who had expected a different outcome.

The big winners

While the general public seemed to favour Wendy Shay for the Artiste of the Year title, the night ultimately belonged to Medikal and Black Sherif.

Before the final award was announced, both artistes were tied at four wins each, bringing anticipation in the Grand Arena to a boiling point. Eventually, Black Sherif claimed the crown, a result that surprised very few, and the show came to a close at 3:30am.

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The aftermath: Accusations and explanations

Issues around ticket redemption and responsibility for the production challenges have been filling the airwaves since Sunday.

While explanations are being offered and notes are being taken, Charterhouse can breathe a sigh of relief. Another TGMA has been successfully delivered.

ID/EB