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Over the years, the AMVCA has faced criticism for not adequately recognising sound and music in Nollywood, despite their crucial role in storytelling. The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) has listened to the feedback and is returning for its 11th edition with a significant new addition—a new category recognising the role of music & musical scores in film, a move that has been widely praised as long overdue.
The announcement was made virtually by returning head judge, Mr. Femi Odugbemi, during a press conference held on March 13 at Multichoice Studios.
“This year, in response to valuable industry insights and our commitment to continuous improvement, we are excited to introduce a new award category, Best Music Score. This addition recognises the fundamental role of sound and music in storytelling,” Odugbemi remarked.
Dr. Busola Tejumola, Executive Head of Content & West Africa Channels at Multichoice, reinforced this, stating that music and sound are fundamental to film and television, shaping emotions and enhancing narratives.
Interestingly, this shift comes at a time when the entertainment industry as a whole is beginning to acknowledge the importance of music in film. Music Awards body The Headies recently introduced a Nollywood-focused category for Best Soundtrack, signaling a broader trend of recognition for film scoring. The AMVCA’s decision to follow suit shows the growing appreciation for music in film.
Unlike last year, when all musical elements were combined into a single category, known as Best Sound Design, Tejumola noted a key change for this year: the introduction of two separate awards categories for musical aspects with Best Music Score, and Best Sound & Sound Design, affirming the importance of both elements in a body of work.
When asked whether the awards body would consider YouTube movies, Dr. Tejumola firmly stated that they would not introduce platform-specific categories, as doing so would require creating multiple categories for various platforms. “We need to look at it more strategically and long term, so what we have built with the AMVCAs is sustainability. We have built a legacy that touches the core aspects and core elements of filmmaking and it transcends any platform,” she said.
To mark the turn of the decade, the awards body will also introduce new initiatives, such as international collaborations to welcome Black and Diasporan talent, a programme designed to honour early Nollywood contributors, and an enhanced jury system to ensure a balance between critical assessment and audience appreciation.
The press conference, which marked the official kickoff to the AMVCA season, also revealed further key details about the awards weekend, scheduled for May 7-10, 2025.
The nomination announcement will be broadcast live on all Africa Magic channels on March 23, at 7 PM with voting beginning immediately afterward. Viewers will have the opportunity to vote in 10 out of 28 categories, with the other 18 categories not open to public voting.
The categories ‘Sound Editing’, ‘Soundtrack of the Year’ have been featured in past editions, but it remains unclear whether the Best Music Score category iteration is a continuation or a newly introduced category, as suggested by the press conference’s host. We are awaiting further clarification from AMVCA representatives and will update accordingly.
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(Updated 15/03/2025: This article has been updated to acknowledge the past existence of a Soundtrack of the Year & Sound Editing categories.)
