MTV today announced nominations for the 2019 MTV EMAs, including six top acts from the African continent; South African rapper Nasty C and hitmaker Prince Kaybee were nominated for the Best African Act category alongside Nigeria’s 2019 BET Award winner Burna Boy & BET Award nominee Teni, Togo’s duo Toofan and Tanzanian musician Harmonize. The announcement comes days after Nasty C was nominated for the 2019 BET Hip Hop Awards. The 2019 MTV EMAs will take place at the FIBES, Conference & Exhibition Centre of Seville in Spain, and will broadcast live on MTV Africa (DStv channel 130) in nearly 180 countries on Sunday, 3 November at 20:00 CAT.
Internationally Ariana Grande leads with seven nods. Grande’s nominations include “Best Artist,” “Best Video” for her viral hit “thank you, next,” as well as “Best Song” alongside Shawn Mendes and EMA nominee newcomers Lil Nas X and Billie Eilish, who all follow Grande with six nods each. Latin American sensation J Balvin follows closely with five nominations including “Best Artist,” and Lizzo and Taylor Swift join the above contenders for “Best U.S. Act,” scoring four nods each.
To tease this year’s nominees, MTV poured fans a “taste of Seville” with beautiful coffee art reveals. As a play on the traditional Spanish cortado, the nominees for “Best Artist,” “Best Video” and “Biggest Fans” were revealed via artistic foam cream visuals. The videos premiered across MTV’s global digital platforms and a coalition of media partners.
Alex Okosi, Executive Vice President and Managing Director for Viacom International Media Networks Africa (VIMN Africa) and BET International commented: “The Best African Act at the 2019 MTV EMAs has been a powerful platform for elevating African talent and music since its inception. We are excited to reveal this year’s incredible group of nominees who are making waves in Africa and around the world”.
Voting is now open at mtvema.com until 2 November at 00:59 CAT, so fans can cast votes beginning today.
COMPLETE LIST – 2019 MTV EMA NOMINEES
BEST AFRICA ACT
Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Prince Kaybee (South Africa)
TooFan (Toga)
Nasty C (South Africa)
Teni (Nigeria)
Harmonize (Tanzania)
BEST VIDEO
Ariana Grande
Billie Eilish bad guy
Lil Nas X Old Town Road (Remix) ft. Billy Ray Cyrus
ROSALÍA, J Balvin Con Altura ft. El Guincho
Taylor Swift
BEST ARTIST
Ariana Grande
J Balvin
Miley Cyrus
Shawn Mendes
Taylor Swift
BEST SONG
Ariana Grande 7 rings
Billie Eilish bad guy
Lil Nas X Old Town Road (Remix) ft. Billy Ray Cyrus
Post Malone, Swae Lee Sunflower
Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello Señorita
BEST COLLABORATION
BTS, Halsey Boy With Luv
Lil Nas X, Billy Ray Cyrus Old Town Road (Remix)
Mark Ronson, Miley Cyrus Nothing Breaks Like a Heart
ROSALÍA, J Balvin Con Altura ft. El Guincho
Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello Señorita
The Chainsmokers, Bebe Rexha Call You Mine
BEST NEW
Ava Max
Billie Eilish
Lewis Capaldi
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
Mabel
BEST POP
Ariana Grande
Becky G
Camila Cabello
Halsey
Jonas Brothers
Shawn Mendes
BEST LIVE
Ariana Grande
BTS
Ed Sheeran
P!NK
Travis Scott
BEST ROCK
Green Day
Imagine Dragons
Liam Gallagher
Panic! At The Disco
The 1975
BEST HIP-HOP
21 Savage
Cardi B
J. Cole
Nicki Minaj
Travis Scott
BEST ALTERNATIVE
FKA Twigs
Lana Del Rey
Solange
twenty one pilots
Vampire Weekend
BEST ELECTRONIC
Calvin Harris
DJ Snake
Marshmello
Martin Garrix
The Chainsmokers
BEST LOOK
Halsey
J Balvin
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
ROSALÍA
BIGGEST FANS
Ariana Grande
Billie Eilish
BTS
Shawn Mendes
Taylor Swift
BEST PUSH
Ava Max
Billie Eilish
CNCO
H.E.R.
Jade Bird
Juice WRLD
Kiana Ledé
Lauv
Lewis Capaldi
Lizzo
Mabel
ROSALÍA
BEST WORLD STAGE
Bebe Rexha Isle of MTV Malta 2019
Hailee Steinfeld Isle of MTV Malta 2018
Muse Bilbao, Spain 2018
The 1975 Lollapalooza Paris Festival 2019
twenty one pilots Lollapalooza Paris Festival 2019
For more information on the 2019 MTV EMAs, visit www.mtv.co.za or www.mtvbase.com and press.mtvema.com, like us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/MTVza or www.Facebook.com/
