The nominees for the 2008 Groove Awards were announced and it looks like there will be some major competition this year. All categories have a total of 6 nominees. SK Blue, ChiZi, Astar, Jemimah Thiong'o and Juliani will battle it out for Artist of the Year where as Bariki, Rachel, M.O.G, 501 and Rock of Ages compete for the Group of the Year award. Suprisingly, Zaidi ya Mziki are not nominated for either Group of the Year or Song of the Year for Fundi wa Mbao despite having topped all Christian charts last year. However, the video, released a few weeks ago is up for Video of the Year. The organizers tell us that they were only accepting materials launched between Jan 2007 and Jan 2008. ZYM launched their album in 2006. The awards ceremony will take place on 4th May 2008 at KICC, Nairobi. To vote, just log on to www.grooveawards.co.ke or send an SMS to 6669. Voting ends on May 3rd. We at KenyanGospel.com will give our predictions of the winners a few days before the event. Give your predictions or discuss the choice of nominees (who deserved to been included, what categories should have been added / changed etc) in the Forums under General Discussion. Scroll down the list and see if your favourite artist made a nomination or two. KenyanGospel.com is an official sponsor of the Groove Awards. 

1. ARTIST OF THE YEAR
a. CHIZI
b. ASTAR
c. JEMIMMAH THIONG’O
d. JULIANI
e. SK BLUE
f. MERCY MASIKA

2. GROUP OF THE YEAR
a. BARIKI
b. RACHEL
c. M.O.G
d. 501
e. ROCK OF AGES
f. WERNONO KRU

3. MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
a. ASTAR
b. DADDY OWEN
c. KANJII
d. BEN GITHAE
e. HOLY DAVE
f. RING TONE

4. FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
a. MARION SHAKO
b. EUNICE NJERI
c. MERCY MASIKA
d. MICHELLE
e. SHEILA
f. JEMIMMAH THIONG’O

5. MOST PROMISING ARTIST
a. EUNICE NJERI
b. KEVO YUT
c. MR VEE
d. WAO
e. VERBAL
f. FAITH BROTHERS

6. SONG OF THE YEAR
a. MILELE (MERCY MASIKA)
b. ZING ZING (MOG)
c. MWANGA (Mozay Ft Kaberere, Daddy Owen,)
d. MALILIKANI (KIKI)
e. UNDER THE ROCK (MAVUNO WORSHIP TEAM)
f. WERNONO ANTHEM (WERNONO KRU)

7. ALBUM OF THE YEAR
a. THE LIGHT (ASTAR)
b. ONA AGERIA (BEN GITHAE)
c. KITENGE (SK BLUE)
d. 501 (PREMIER )
e. MAVUNO WORSHIP ALBUM
f. IMANI (JEMIMAH THIONGO)

8. VIDEO OF THE YEAR
a. FUNDI WA MBAO (ZAIDI YA MUZIKI)
b. SINA SUBSTITUTE (SHTUKO)
c. ZING ZING (MOG)
d. IN THE NAME OF JESUS (ASTAR)
e. NAKUHITAJI (JIMMY GAIT)
f. UMEIWEZA ROHO YANGU (EUNICE NJERI)

9. CHILDREN SONG OF THE YEAR
a. SUN FLOWER KIDS
b. SILK (NIMEBADILIKA)
c. STOMAZ
d. ‘MC CHEE (ASANTE MUNGU BA)
e. PRINCE KAMANZI (MY NAME IS PRINCE)
f. PS KIDS

10. WORSHIP SONG OF THE YEAR
a. UMETUKUKA (ISAAC KAHORA)
b. UMEIWEZA ROHO YANGU (EUNICE NJERI AND BILLY FRANK)
c. KAMA SIO WEWE (MERCY AND BILLY FRANK)
d. YOUR LOVE HAS SET ME FREE (MAVUNO WORSHIP TEAM)
e. AHADI ZAKE (MARION SHAKO)
f. NIPE AMANI (JEMIMAH THIONG’O)
 

11. CHOIR OF THE YEAR
a. AFLEWO
b. INTIMACY WORSHIP
c. MAVUNO WORSHIP TEAM
d. VUC
e. LIFESPRING CHAPEL
f. NPC CHOIR

12. DANCE GROUP OF THE YEAR
a. BMF
b. CREAM DANCERS
c. MAXIMUM MELODIES
d. SQUADI SAUTI
e. DWAP
f. CITY LIGHTS

13. GOSPEL DJ OF THE YEAR
a. DJ RIQ
b. DJ MOZ
c. DJ NEVS
d. DJ SOXXY
e. DJ JONNY CELEB
f. DJ JOSH

14. RAP/HIPHOP SONG OF THE YEAR
a. NIMECHOKA (501)
b. NOT A JOKE (HOLY DAVE)
c. IBADA YANGU (RIGGA)
d. FOCUS (MICHELLE)
e. MTAA MENTALITY (JULIANI)
f. IN THE NAME OF JESUS (ASTAR)

15. BEST TRADITIONAL GOSPEL SONG
a. THUMBI (SARAH KIARIE)
b. KATAU BANDA (EMMY KOSGEY)
c. ATIYO NI RUOTHA (ISAAC KAVEHERE)
d. ONA AGERIA (BEN GITHAE)
e. ATANIKUMBUKA (RUTH WAMUYU)
f. MALILIKANIE (KIKI)

16. GOSPEL RADIO SHOW OF THE YEAR
a. ACTIVATE (HOPE FM)
b. GOSPEL COUNTDOWN (KAMEME FM)
c. MORNING JAM (FAMILY MEDIA)
d. MWAMBA (HOMEBOYZ RADIO)
e. SHANGILIA (HOPE FM) R
f. KUBAMBA (HOPE FM)

17. PRESENTER OF THE YEAR RADIO/TV
a. NJUGUSH (HOMEBOYZ RADIO)
b. J.M (HOPE FM)
c. ESTHER WAHOME (CITIZEN TV)
d. YAFESI (HOPE FM)
e. LENIUM (BARAKA FM)
f. WAMBUI MBURU (HOPE FM)

18. GOSPEL TV SHOW OF THE YEAR
a. ANGAZA (KBC)
b. STOMP (NTV)
c. SHANGILIA (CITIZEN TV)
d. SHAKE (FAMILY TV)
e. U TURN (CITIZEN)
f. HOT TRAXX (CHANNEL 2)

19. PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
a. RKAY
b. JCS RECORDS
c. SAKATA
d. BLACK MAN
e. GIDEON KIMANZI
f. BILLY FRANK

20. SONG WRITER OF THE YEAR
a. MARION SHAKO
b. KANJI
c. EUNICE NJERI
d. JEMIMAH THIONGO
e. REBBEKAH MATHINY
f. MERCY AND BILLY FRANK

21. PEACE AWARD
a. ERIC WAINAINA
b. WAKENYA PAMOJA
c. MSAFARA WHEELS OF HOPE
d. CARDINAL JOHN NJUE
e. FRIENDS OF PEACE
f. AMB. BETHWEL KIPLAGAT

22. LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
a. ANGELA CHIBALONZA
b. PETE ODERA
c. EMACHICHI
d. REUBEN KIGAME
e. KASSANGA MULWA
f. PASTOR OSCAR MURIU