Wizkid, P-Square out of EMA race

For the second time in a row, Nigerian acts competing in the African category of the Europe Music Awards have been thrown out.

MTV, the organisers announced that South African Pop Duo, LCNVL has been voted as Best African Act, the position throws Ayodeji Balogun aka Wizkid and Paul and Peter Okoye of the P-Square fame out of the competition.



Last year, Wizkid and Dapo Oyebanjo (D’banj) were the contenders from Nigeria, who did not also make it.

For the last six weeks, MTV gave fans around the world the chance to vote for their favourite hometown artistes to help them win the ‘Best Act’ title in their respective market. LCNVL will now move on to the next phase of voting to try to secure a spot to represent the region in the Worldwide Act category at the 2013 MTV EMA which is taking place on Sunday, November 10, at the Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam. The show is expected to be broadcast live to Nigerian audience on MTV DStv channel.

This year, 186 of the world’s hottest musical acts have enjoyed the MTV EMA spotlight as nominees in the Worldwide Act voting competition. These artistes span genres from Mandopop to indie-rock and Afrobeats to electro-house and hail from 126 cities and 29 small towns across 51 countries. The other contenders, who had been in the running for the Best African Act award, were Mafikozolo and Fuse ODG.

LCNVL, the brainchild of twin brothers Brian and Andrew Chaplin have been South Africa’s most successful pop act of the last five years, selling over 100,000 physical albums, winning the South Africa Music Awards (SAMAs) for Best Selling Album and Best Newcomer, and touring the world, playing with the likes of Justin Bieber, Taio Cruz, Mike Poser and Jason Derulo. Starting today, LCNVL will now go head-to-head against Yo Yo Honey Singh from India and Ahmed Soultan from the Middle East for the chance to be one of the 10 finalists to reach the last round of the Worldwide Act category.

Reports say Miley Cyrus, Robin Thicke, Snoop Dogg, Afrojack, Imagine Dragons, The Killers and Katy Perry are all set to perform at the 2013 MTV EMA