InterContinental Music Awards 2023 Winners

The 2023 InterContinental Music Awards highlighted exceptional global talent across diverse genres and artists. This awards ceremony joyfully celebrated the finest in international music, covering everything from pop to hip-hop, classical to folk. The victorious 2023 InterContinental Music Award recipients truly epitomized the pinnacle of global musical excellence.

Watch the 2023 Award Ceremony

Youtube Thumbnail of ICMA Awards Ceremony-2023-Shahed Mohseni and Karen Lorre

Presented live on Zoom by ICMA Founder and Executive Director Shahed Mohseni Zonoozi, along with actress-author-coach Karen Lorre from Los Angeles, the ICMAs were a resounding success. Notably, each official Winner had the opportunity to deliver a live acceptance speech by host of the Start Spot Merry. Additionally, Heerraa, the esteemed 2022 ICon award honoree, excitedly unveiled this year’s Icon award recipient.

2023 ICMA Winners

ICon Award Winner – $1000 Cash Prize

Anslom

Papua New Guinea

Matt B

BEST OF AFRICA

“Gimme Love” African Pop

Mbira Spirit

BEST OF AFRICA

“Mudzimu Wangu Chirega Chinya” – Jit 

Mt Boi

BEST OF AFRICA

“ 4 You” –  African RnB/Soul

Platform One

BEST OF AFRICA

“Isencane” –  African Pop

Amy McAllister

BEST OF AMERICA

“Godwink” – ALTERNATIVE

Anslom

BEST OF AMERICA

“Love me again”– Reggae

Ari

BEST OF AMERICA

“The Rebellion”– Rap

Asta

BEST OF AMERICA

“Intuition”– R&B

Beer and Flies

BEST OF AMERICA

“He’s The One” – Jazz 

Brian Eisenberg

BEST OF AMERICA

“The Cost of War” – Musical Theater

Charu Suri 

BEST OF AMERICA

“Verona Waltz” – Jazz

Damian Wyldes

BEST OF AMERICA

“Skeletons” – American Roots

Doroteja Egarić (Dora)

BEST OF AMERICA

“ Safety Zone Of Love” – Pop

Ed Bazel

BEST OF AMERICA

“Soaring” – Contemporary Instrumental

Miss Gavri

BEST OF AMERICA

“Down Bad” – R&B

Girlie Vasallo

BEST OF AMERICA

“Forgive Me (feat. Che Casibang, Lalaine Enriquez, Ria Villena-Osorio & Mike Villegas)” – Gospel/Contemporary Christian

Heerraa

BEST OF AMERICA

“Across the Universe” – Funk

Jehan

BEST OF AMERICA

“Machine (feat. Joey Diggs Jr.)” – Pop

Justine Blazer

BEST OF AMERICA

“Cold Day in Hell” – Blues

Kitt Wakeley

BEST OF AMERICA

“ Stairway To Heaven” – Rock

Kitt Wakeley

BEST OF AMERICA

“The Storm” – Contemporary Instrumental

Marissa Lynn Hernandez

BEST OF AMERICA

“Flirting With My Feelings” – Pop

Matt B

BEST OF AMERICA

“I’m here with you” – R&B

MegPfeiffer & LucaStricagnoli

BEST OF AMERICA

“Machine” – Pop

MegPfeiffer & LucaStricagnoli

BEST OF AMERICA

“I Do What I Want” – Rock

Miriammar

BEST OF AMERICA

“Dirty mind love” – Latin Music

Mo Dinka

BEST OF AMERICA

“Armor” – Gospel/Contemporary Christian

Namewee

BEST OF AMERICA

“Happy Family (ft. 5forty2 & The Real Masta Clan)” – Rap

Omar Sicilia

BEST OF AMERICA

“Dame una razón” – Pop

Omar Sicilia

BEST OF AMERICA

“Gabriela” – Country

Pablo Santé

BEST OF AMERICA

“Puntos Medios” – Latin Music

Poppyiris

BEST OF AMERICA

“Why the Hell Knot” – Country

Russ Hewitt

BEST OF AMERICA

“Amor Perdido (feat. Bucharest All-Star Orchestra)” – Latin Fusion

Steven Newton

BEST OF AMERICA

“Resurgence” – Native American Music

Studio Story Monster

BEST OF AMERICA

“The Story Monster Theme Song” – Children’s Song

The Heritage

BEST OF AMERICA

“We Fall Down” – Folk

Yeisy Rojas

BEST OF AMERICA

“Más Más” – Latin Folk

Yeisy Rojas

BEST OF AMERICA

“Te Marchastes” – Latin Folk

Yulia Petrova

BEST OF AMERICA

“Under the dancing moon, Under the singing sky” – Smooth Jazz

Namewee

BEST OF AMERICA

“Ghost Island ft. Dwagie” – Reggae

Madhumita Chatterjee

BEST OF ASIA

“Kar Gaya Khwaab” – Hindustani

Rohith & Amritha

BEST OF ASIA

“HOPE” – Asian Pop

S. J. Jananiy

BEST OF ASIA

“Tamil Engal Uyir Moochu (Welcome Theme Song for Tamizhan Awards of NewGen Media)” – Asian Folk

Siddharth Nagarajan

BEST OF ASIA

“RUDRA (Feat. Naveen Kumar & Guy Bernfeld)” – Asian Jazz & Crossover

Agito Maruyama

BEST OF EUROPE

“Ladscape (360 VR Mix)” – European Electronic & Techno

Ayn-J

BEST OF EUROPE

“Polie” – European Alternative

Dee & d’Z

BEST OF EUROPE

“Flow” – European Jazz

George Voukanos

BEST OF EUROPE

“Aria Passion” – Fusion

Ovision

BEST OF EUROPE

“Holygraphic” – European Hip-Hop

Portrait of Roc Flowers, winner of InterContinental Music Awards 2023, posing for their award

Roc Flowers

BEST OF EUROPE

“Song of Sun” – European Hip-Hop

Roc Flowers

BEST OF EUROPE

“Forget You” – Europop

Tamar Aladashvili

BEST OF EUROPE

“The birth of the sun” – European Folk

Vanessa Mini

BEST OF EUROPE

“PEACE” – Europop

Yannick Corre

BEST OF EUROPE

“El Aguacero” – Flamenco

Ihab Darwish

BEST OF MIDDLE EAST

“Tolerance” – Art Music

InterContinental Music Awards's Logo Picture

Cheb Khaled

BEST OF MIDDLE EAST

“COME TOGETHER – ASERE QUE BOLA” – Fusion Music

Mehdi Rajabian

BEST OF MIDDLE EAST

“An Epitaph on the Tomb of Companions” – Art Music

Peter Xifaras

BEST OF MIDDLE EAST

“Children Of Conflict-Lost Innocence” – Art Music

Aakasha

BEST OF PANGEA

“Cool Down” New Age

Carlo Ayhllón

BEST OF PANGEA

“Amore Profondo” – Classic

Christina Tourin

BEST OF PANGEA

“Amethyst of Avalon” – AMBIENT

Craig Padilla and Marvin Allen

BEST OF PANGEA

“Sunflowers in the Wind” – New Age

Darlene Koldenhoven

BEST OF PANGEA

“Cheerful Mohana” – New Age

Desensitized

BEST OF PANGEA

“Ionic Realms [Victronomy Plubonius]” – Experimental Music

Devan Ekambaram

BEST OF PANGEA

“Aaraadha” – World Music

Giovanni D’Aquila

BEST OF PANGEA

“The Grey Havens” – CLASSIC

Indian Trap & S. J. Jananiy

BEST OF PANGEA

“Shiva Mantra (Om Namah Shivaya)” – New Age

Joseph L Young & Lynn Tredeau

BEST OF PANGEA

“Remembrance of Time” – New Age

Mag Dalé

BEST OF PANGEA

“From A to O”– Singer/Songwriter

Russ Hewitt

BEST OF PANGEA

“Cubalia Cafe (feat. Ardeshir Farah)” – World Music

InterContinental Music Awards's Logo Picture

Sound Wave Studio

BEST OF PANGEA

“Eyes Wide Open (From “North Star”)” – Singer/Songwriter

Stanislav Barantsov

BEST OF PANGEA

“Ambient Inspiration” – Ambient

Yorgos Karagiannis

BEST OF PANGEA

“Thelissis” – Sountrack

2023 Performance Category Winners

Tess Remy – Schumacher

BEST INSTRUMENTALIST

Covering “Remember me” by David Maslanka

Brian Eisenberg Jazz Orchestra

BEST INSTRUMENTALIST

Covering “Blackbird” by The Beatles

Elena Ortega

BEST INSTRUMENTALIST

Interpreting “Capricho Catalán”by Isaac Albéniz

Zixiao Ye

BEST INSTRUMENTALIST

Covering “Je Te Laisserai Des Mots” by Patrick Watson

Michael Min

BEST INSTRUMENTALIST

InterPreting “Vocalise by S. Rachmaninoff, Fantasy und Fugue on theme B-A-C-H” by F. Liszt

Silvia Nogales

BEST INSTRUMENTALIST

Covering “Lullaby” by Anna Segal

Sophia Agranovich

BEST INSTRUMENTALIST

Interpreting “Transcendental-Étude In D Minor ‘Mazeppa” by Franz Liszt

Dmitry Fesenko

BEST PRODUCTION

Covering “Russian Doll” by ULVER

The Frost Duo

BEST PRODUCTION

“To Be With You”

Mike Bear

BEST VOCALIST

Covering “I Was Wrong” by Chris Stapleton

Neivi Martinez

BEST VOCALIST

Interpreting “Die Seele ruht – J.S.Bach” by J. S. Bach

Penelope Broomhead Petromelidou

BEST VOCALIST

Covering “Media Vita in Morte Sumus” by Michael McGlynn

2023 Record Labels Recognized for Outstanding Excellence

Logo of Spotted Peccary Music record label, winner of InterContinental Music Awards 2023, posing for their award

Spotted Peccary Music

OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE

New Age Music

Music For Love

OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE

Multi-Culture Music

Continental Finalists

Africa

African Jazz

  • “Ancient Secrets” by Mthobisi Mthalane – South Africa

African Pop

  • “Gimme Love” by Matt B – United States
  • “Isencane” by Platform One – South Africa
  • “Nothing but love” by Rielle – United States

African Reggae/Ragga/Dancehall

  • “Mungu” by Mc Norman – South Africa

African RnB/Soul

Chimurenga

  • “Nhemamusasa Muparidzi” by Sam Legend Mutandachinga – Zimbabwe

Jit

  • “Mudzimu Wangu Chirega Chinya (feat. Mbira DzeNharira and Bereka)” by Mbira Spirit – Canada

America

Alternative

American Roots

  • “Next Door Stranger” by Brian Kalinec – United States
  • “Skeletons” by Damian Wyldes – United States

Blues

  • “The Weather” by BEERANDFLIES – United States
  • “Cold Day in Hell” by Justine Blazer – United States
  • “Buried In The Blues” by Sun King Rising – United States
  • “Won’t Be Around” by Terry Blade – United States

Children’s Song

Contemporary Instrumental

Country

Dance/Electronic

  • “Love Me Or Leave Me Alone” by Craymo – United States
  • “Leave Your Thing Alone” by Michael Chung – United States

Electronic

  • “A Joyous Return” by Bart Hawkins – United States
  • “Abundant Time [Stemiostratamos]” by Desensitized – United States

Folk

Funk

  • “Across the Universe” by Heerraa – Malaysia

Gospel/Contemporary Christian

  • “Love Somebody Hard To Love” by Amy McAllister – United States
  • “Forgive Me (feat. Che Casibang, Lalaine Enriquez, Ria Villena-Osorio & Mike Villegas)” by Girlie Vasallo – Canada
  • “Armor” by Mo Dinka – United States
  • “Let Him Heal You” by Vero G. – United States

Jazz

  • “He’s The One” by BEERANDFLIES – United States
  • “A Song For Rick” by Brian Eisenberg – United States
  • “Pain & Beauty” by Brian Eisenberg – United States
  • “Verona Waltz” by Charu Suri – United States
  • “Vienna Waltz” by Charu Suri – United States
  • “To Be With You” by The Frost Duo – United States
  • “Sign of love” by Yulia – United States

Latin Folk

Latin Fusion

  • “Amor Perdido (feat. Bucharest All-Star Orchestra)” by Russ Hewitt – United States

Latin Jazz

Latin Music

  • “Dirty mind love” by Miriammar – United States
  • “Detrás de ti” by Omar Sicilia – United States
  • “Puntos Medios” by Pablo Santé – Mexico
  • “Chasing Horizons (feat. Nuno Bettencourt)” by Russ Hewitt – United States
  • “Vivir Libre (feat. Marty Friedman)” by Russ Hewitt – United States

Musical Theater

Native American Music

Pop

R&B

  • “Euphoria” by Asta – Taiwan
  • “Intuition” by Asta – Taiwan
  • “You Are So Cool (Feat. Sundae)” by Asta – Taiwan
  • “Café” by Elisent Massanet – United States
  • “Make The Change” by Ess B – Canada
  • “Down Bad” by Gavrielle Sween (Miss Gavri) – United States
  • “I’m Here With You” by Matt B – United States
  • “Losing You” by Matt B – United States
  • “So Into You” by Tracy Cruz – United States
  • “All My Dawgz Go To Heaven (Remix)” by YoungTurky – Canada
  • “Cover’d Girlz” by Zemira Israel – United States

Rap

  • “Mainstream” by 4 Wheel City – United States
  • “The Rebellion” by Ari – United States
  • “Happy Family (feat. 5forty2 & The Real Masta Clan)” by Namewee – Malaysia
  • “This Means War” by Teresa Suydam – United States

Reggae

  • “Keep Hurting” by Anslom – Papua New Guinea
  • “Love me again” by Anslom – Papua New Guinea
  • “Ghost Island (feat. Dwagie)” by Namewee – Malaysia
  • “Katak (feat. 5Forty2 & Masta Clan)” by Namewee – Malaysia
  • “Be Like Water” by Roc Flowers – United States

Rock

Smooth Jazz

  • “Waltz for My Father” by Charu Suri – United States
  • “Movin On” by Evan Carydakis – Australia
  • “Jamby Jamby” by Max Highsteion – United States
  • “Wonderful Life” by Yola Nash – United States
  • “Under the dancing moon, Under the singing sky” by Yulia – United States

Asia

Asian Dance & Electronic

  • “Thai Cha Cha (feat. Bie The Ska)” by Namewee – Malaysia

Asian Folk

  • “Tamil Engal Uyir Moochu (Welcome Theme Song for Tamizhan Awards)” by S. J. Jananiy – India

Asian Jazz & Crossover

  • “Rudra (feat. Naveen Kumar & Guy Bernfeld)” by Siddharth Nagarajan – India

Asian Metal & Hardcore

  • “Run (feat. Jamie Borden)” by Siddharth Nagarajan – India

Asian Pop

  • “Fragile (feat. Kimberley Chen)” by Namewee – Malaysia
  • “Sab Kuch Mera” by Pallavi Ishpuniyani – India
  • “Hope” by Rohith & Amritha – India

Asian R&B & Soul

  • “Friday night is dead” by Yi Long – China

Asian Rock

Carnati

  • “Kripaya Palaya” by Rohith & Amritha – India

Hindustani

Zhongguo

  • “China Reggaeton (feat. Anthony Perry)” by Namewee – Malaysia

Europe

Celtic

European Alternative

European Electronic & Techno

European Folk

  • “Listen to the kids” by John Papalas & Magix productions – Greece
  • “Giala giala” by Greek Duet – Greece
  • “ζεϊμπέκικο της μπαμπέσας” by John Papalas & Magix productions – Greece
  • “The birth of the sun” by Tamar aladashvili – Georgia

European Hip-Hop

  • “Quiero pero no” by Berrebe – Spain
  • “And I know” by OVISION – United States
  • “Holygraphic” by OVISION – United States
  • “Always Searching” by Roc Flowers – United States
  • “Song of Sun” by Roc Flowers – United States

European Jazz

  • “Flow” by Dee & d’Z – Netherlands
  • “What a day” by Kim – Italy
  • “Mood Variations” by OVISION – United States
  • “Show me the Vision” by OVISION – United States

Europop

  • “Let me rest” by Franzen – Sweden
  • “GYM” by Gaetano Randazzo – Italy
  • “Wide land” by Lee – Germany
  • “8 Billion Souls” by Roc Flowers – United States
  • “Forget You” by Roc Flowers – United States
  • “Peace” by Vanessa Mini – Italy

Flamenco

  • “El Aguacero” by Yannick Corre – Spain

Fusion

Latin

Middle East

Art Music

  • “Earth” by Ihab Darwish – United Arab Emirates
  • “Tolerance” by Ihab Darwish – United Arab Emirates
  • “An Epitaph on the Tomb of Companions” by Mehdi Rajabian – Iran
  • “Murmur of the Naked Nun” by Mehdi Rajabian – Iran
  • “Children Of Conflict-Lost Innocence” by Peter Xifaras – United States
  • “Children Of Conflict-Mother’s Lament” by Peter Xifaras – United States

Experimental Music

  • “Delaye” by UROISH – Sweden

Fusion Music

  • “Come Together – Asere Que Bola” by Khaled (Cheb Khaled) – United States

Symphony

  • “Sinfonia da Camera (3rd movement – Fate of faiths)” by Dominique Salloum – Lebanon

Pangea

Ambient

Classic

  • “Spell of Winter” by Ben Johnston-Urey – Canada
  • “Amore Profondo” by Carlo Ayhllón – Classic – Mexico
  • “Historia de amor” by Carlo Ayhllón – Classic – Mexico
  • “Passacaglia” by Christina Tourin – United Kingdom
  • “Outskirts Scrap – The Long Dawn” by Giovanni D’Aquila – Classic – Italy
  • “Ragnarok” by Giovanni D’Aquila – Classic – Italy
  • “The Grey Havens” by Giovanni D’Aquila – Classic – Italy

Experimental Music

  • “Ionic Realms [Victronomy Plubonius]” by Desensitized – United States

New Age

Singer/Songwriter

Soundtrack

  • “Vals El Baile De Los 41” by Carlo Ayhllón – Soundtrack – Mexico
  • “A Liberation” by Davide Caprelli from “SOSPESI” Soundtrack – Italy
  • “Mother of God” by Davide Caprelli from “LIBERA NOS” Soundtrack – Italy
  • “Tempus Hedax Homo Edacior” by Far From Your Sun – Soundtrack – France
  • “Nankurunaisa” by Jose ‘Chipi’ Estrada – Soundtrack – Guatemala
  • “Samurai Honor” by Stanislav Barantsov – Soundtrack – Ukraine
  • “Vikings” by Stanislav Barantsov – Soundtrack – Ukraine
  • “Thelissis” by Yorgos Karagiannis – Soundtrack – Greece

World Music

  • “Phire Elaam” by Ban Brothers – World Music – United States
  • “Icelandic Northern Lights” by Christina Tourin – World Music – United Kingdom
  • “Aaraadha” by Devan Ekambaram – World Music – India
  • “Cubalia Cafe (feat. Ardeshir Farah)” by Russ Hewitt – World Music – United States
  • “Sunset Samba (feat. Jorge Strunz)” by Russ Hewitt – World Music – United States
  • “Nari Shakti (Women’s Day Song)” by S. J. Jananiy – World Music – India
  • “Victory: Vakratunda” by Sarves Thiru – World Music – United Kingdom

Performance Categories

Best Production

  • “Sunflowers in the Wind” by Craig Padilla & Marvin Allen – United States
  • “Russian Doll (Originally by ULVER)” Cover by Dmitry Fesenko “VENERA” – Ukraine
  • “This Time (Originally by Chris Trapper)” Cover by Kris Anders – Canada
  • “Murmur of the Naked Nun” by Mehdi Rajabian – Iran
  • “China Reggaeton (feat. Anthony Perry)” by Namewee – Malaysia
  • “Gypsy Woman -Love on your Soul- (Originally by Chrystal Waters)” Cover by OVISION – Italy
  • “Song of Sun” by Roc Flowers – United States
  • “To Be With You” by The Frost Duo – United States

Best Instrumentalist

  • “Free” by Ann – United Arab Emirates
  • “Blackbird (Originally by The Beatles)” Cover by Brian Eisenberg Jazz Orchestra – United States
  • “Pure Imagination (Originally by Leslie Bricusse)” Cover by Brian Eisenberg Jazz Orchestra – United States
  • “Amazing Grace (Originally by John Newton)” Cover by Brian Eisenberg Jazz Orchestra – United States
  • “Capricho Catalán (Originally by Isaac Albéniz)” Interpreting by Elena Ortega – Spain
  • “Evocación: II. La guitarra hace llorar a los sueños (Originally by Antón García Abril)” Interpreting by Elena Ortega – Spain
  • “Luz del Alba (Originally by Juan Erena Marmol)” Interpreting by Elena Ortega – Spain
  • “Nocturne No. 4 in E flat major (Originally by Gabriel Faure)” Interpreting by Justin Man  – United Kingdom
  • “Khiyanat (Originally by Ardavan Kamkar)” Cover by Kiana Ghalambor – Iran
  • “Je Te Laisserai Des Mots (Originally by Patrick Watson)” Cover by Zixiao Ye  – China
  • “Interstellar (Originally by Hans Zimmer)” Cover by Zixiao Ye  – China
  • “Vocalise by S. Rachmaninoff (Arranged for piano solo by Earl Wild), Fantasy und Fugue on theme B-A-C-H by F. Liszt” Interpreting by Michael Min  – United States
  • “Azul -Tres Colores Porteños- (Originally by Claudia Montero) ” Interpreting by Silvia Nogales Barrios  – Spain
  • “Lullaby (Originally by Anna Segal)” Interpreting by Silvia Nogales Barrios  – Spain
  • “Transcendental Étude In D Minor ‘Mazeppa’ (Originally by Franz Liszt)” Interpreting by Sophia Agranovich  – United States
  • “Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6 in D-flat Major (Originally by Franz Liszt)” Interpreting by Sophia Agranovich  – United States
  • “Ständchen -Serenade- (Originally by Schubert/Liszt)” Interpreting by Sophia Agranovich  – United States
  • “Out in the Open (Originally by John Riley)” Cover by Stacy Norris  – United States
  • “Remember me (Originally by David Maslanka)” Cover by Tess Remy-Schumacher  – United States
  • “Ya Fager feat. Luna (Originally by Mustafa Kureidiyye)” Cover by Zad Khalife  – Lebanon

Best Vocalist

  • “Keep Hurting” by Anslom – Papua New Guinea
  • “Vivere per amare (Originally by Riccardo Cocciante)” Cover by Cristina Merlini – Italy
  • “Burning House (Originally by Cam)” by Mike-Bear – United States
  • “I Won’t Let Go (Originally by Rascal Flatts)” by Mike-Bear – United States
  • “I Was Wrong (Originally by Chris Stapleton)” by Mike-Bear – United States
  • “Die Seele ruht – J.S.Bach” (Originally by J. S. Bach)” Interpreting by Neivi Martinez – Austria
  • “Media Vita in Morte Sumus (Originally by Michael McGlynn)” Cover by Penelope Broomhead Petromelidou – Greece
  • “Song to the Moon (Originally by Antonin Dvorak)” Interpreting by Qiaochu (Grace) Wang – United States
  • “All I Care About (Originally by John Kander)” by Sam Corry – United States
  • “Walking in the air” by Sophie Mosser – France