Ataman Nikita Earns Three ICMA 2026 Nominations Across Two Genres

Ataman Nikita has landed three nominations at the InterContinental Music Awards 2026 — the biggest recognition yet for the Bolgatanga-based singer and a rare showing that spans two different genre categories.

In the African R&B Soul category, “Find My Way” and “Devil’s Game” — both pulled from his debut album Enigma — will compete against entries from across the continent and beyond. In African Hip Hop, Ataman Nikita earns a third nod for “No Miracles,” his collaboration with Dr Pushkin and Jon Connor.

The three-nomination spread caps a fast rise for an artist who, until recently, was better known as a voice than a name. For years, Ataman Nikita — born Richard Azunre — sang uncredited hooks and choruses on Dr Pushkin’s biggest records, appearing only under the label credit “Isolirium.” Enigma, released as his debut single and now his debut album, was his formal step out from behind that mystery. “No Miracles” shows the other side of his range — stepping directly into a featured role on a hip-hop track rather than a background hook.

Musically, Enigma draws from an unusual mix of influences: part Russian on his mother’s side, Ataman Nikita grew up with classical and Russian folk music before settling in Bolgatanga, which exposed him to RnB, Hip Hop, Highlife, Hiplife, and traditional Kologo sounds. That range — evident across both nominated categories — is exactly what judges responded to.

By day, Ataman Nikita works as a network administrator and lecturer at Bolgatanga Technical University. His three nominations form the majority of Isolirium Entertainment’s four total ICMA nods this year, alongside Dr Pushkin and B-Wayne’s shared nomination for “Empty Grave” — the label’s biggest international showing to date.

Winners for ICMA 2026 are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.