At the 26th Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA), held on May 10, 2025, at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre, Ghanaian singer Joel Ofori Bonsu — better known as OliveTheBoy — walked away with the Best Afrobeats Song of the Year award for the second consecutive year. This time, the winning record was "Asylum," his 2024 hit that had already been enjoying relentless airplay and chart dominance across the country. Last year, it was "Good Sin" — the viral sensation from his debut EP Avana that became the most-streamed song in Ghana during the first half of 2023 — that handed him his first TGMA crown.
Let's be clear about what OliveTheBoy walked into. The Best Afrobeats Song category at TGMA 2025 was not a lightweight field. "Asylum" faced off against some of the most recognisable names in Ghanaian music: KiDi's "Lomo Lomo" featuring Black Sherif, Mr Drew's "Sneaky," Lasmid's "Puul," King Promise's "Favourite Story," and Beeztrap KOTM's "Yesu." These are not filler nominations — these are records that moved culture, filled dancefloors, and dominated radio in their own right.
Before the ceremony, OliveTheBoy had made no secret of his confidence. Speaking candidly ahead of the event, he told reporters, "Inside tight, but eno tight like that. 'Asylum' has entered places" — a line that read less like bravado and more like someone who genuinely knew what they had. As it turned out, he was right.
But this victory is about more than just a single song—it represents the continued rise of a new generation of Ghanaian Afrobeats talent. Since breaking onto the scene, OliveTheBoy has built a reputation for delivering heartfelt music that blends vulnerability with irresistible grooves. His ability to craft relatable lyrics while maintaining strong commercial appeal has made him one of the most exciting young artists to watch.