For its 2017 edition, organizers of Islamic Music and Associated Nominees (IMAN) Awards, Synergy Media, have announced 9 additional categories, bringing it to 40 competitive categories in all. The first edition held in 2016 only had 31 categories.
According to Synergy Media, the new categories came as a result of yearnings of some segments of the Islamic music industry which felt left out during the first edition of the awards that held on Sunday, May 22, 2016, in Lagos.
The newly added categories for 2017 edition of the prestigious awards are (1) Best Make-Up Artiste in Islamic Music Video Shoot, (2) Best Costumier in Islamic Music Video Shoot, (3) Best Camera Handler in Islamic Music Video Shoot, (4) Best Islamic Artiste in Diaspora , (5) Best Popular Tune Adaptation in Islamic Music, (6) Best Azikir Based Islamic Artiste, (7) Best Islamic Artiste’s Manager, (8) Best Studio Engineer in Islamic Music Production, and (9) Best Islamic Soul Artiste.
Meanwhile, the initial 31 categories as awarded in 2016 were as follow:(1) Best Male Islamic Artiste, (2) Best Female Islamic Artiste, (3) Best Islamic Music Album, (4) Best Islamic Music Video, (5) Best Islamic Music Collaboration, (6) Best Islamic Hip Hop Artiste, (7) Face of Islamic Music, Male, (8) Face of Islamic Music, Female, (9) Best New Male Islamic Artiste, (10) Best New Female Islamic Artiste (11) Most Fashionable Male Islamic Artiste, (12) Most Fashionable Female Islamic Artiste, (13) Best Islamic Music Album Producer, (14) Best Islamic Music Video Director, (15) Best Islamic Music Instrumentalist, (16) Best Islamic Kid Artiste and (17) Best Islamic Artiste in Stage Performance.
Others were: (18) Best Featured Non Islamic Artiste in Islamic Music, (19) Best Islamic Music Video Editor, (20) Best Featured Movie Actor in Islamic Music Video, (21) Best Islamic Music Marketer, (22) Best Islamic Music Promoter, (23) Best Supportive Radio Station to Islamic Music, (24) Best Supportive Tv Station to Islamic Music, (25) Best Supportive Newspaper to Islamic Music, (26) Best Supportive Magazine to Islamic Music, (27) Best Supportive Individual to Islamic Music, (28) Best Supportive Corporate Organization to Islamic Music, (29) Best Reporter of Islamic Music, (30) Best Supportive Islamic Cleric to Islamic Music, and (31) Best Islamic Music Friendly Broadcaster.
In addition, the organizers have hinted that date for the awards would soon be announced, but said the theme for 2017 edition is ‘Opening The Hall of Fame.’
