As the 2024 MAMA Awards is in full gear, preparing for its most important year yet as it expands across continents, Asia’s biggest music ceremony kicked off this week with this year’s list of nominees and first performers.
Set to kick off on November 21 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, before moving to the Kyocera Dome in Osaka, Japan, for the main event on November 22-23, the 2024 MAMA Awards will bring artists like girl group ILLIT (who are up for five awards at this year’s show including Best New Female Artist) for their first U.S. performance, K-pop chart-toppers like TOMORROW X TOGETHER, aespa, ENHYPEN and IVE in Japan, and also acts that go beyond Korea like J-pop boy band INI and HYBE America’s global girl group KATSEYE.
CJ ENM will reveal the full lineup within the coming weeks.
This year’s MAMA Awards have introduced several elements to reflect evolving standards. Most notably, a new category, Best Choreography, has been added to recognize the vital role of dance in K-pop’s growing success. Plus, the voting process for fan-driven awards like Fans’ Choice of the Year and Fans’ Choice will feature two rounds: the first from October 14 to 25 and the second from November 1. Fans can vote through the Mnet Plus platform and on X (formerly Twitter).
Girl group aespa leads among all MAMA nominees following a major year with the release of their full-length album Armageddon in May. The LP’s first single, “Supernova,” is the most-nominated song at MAMA this year, earning nods in Visa Song of the Year, Best Dance Performance Female Group, and the inaugural Best Choreography category.
BLACKPINK superstar JENNIE is the most nominated solo artist at MAMAs this year with seven total. In addition to being honored for her solo single “You & Me” in categories like Song of the Year and Best Dance Performance Female Solo, while her collaboration “SPOT!” with ZICO has nods in Best Collaboration, Best Rap & HipHop Performance, as well as Song
This year’s awards’ theme, “BIG BLUR : What Is Real?” is meant to reflect the “growing trends on blurred boundaries between industries, culture, music genres and technology,” according to a press release. “Under the ‘Big Blur’ concept, the awards ceremony will present surreal but real experiences and showcase visually captivating performances through the convergence of art and technology.”
With the first round of performers announced and the complete list of nominees revealed, the 2024 MAMA Awards is already shaping to be a worthy celebration of K-pop’s growing global influence this past year.
2024 MAMA AWARDS Performers
2024 MAMA AWARDS US Performers, November 21
- RIIZE
- ILLIT
- KATSEYE
2024 MAMA AWARDS Japan Performers, November 22
- TOMORROW X TOGETHER
- ENHYPEN
- IVE
2024 MAMA AWARDS Japan Performers, November 23
- aespa
- INI
- ZEROBASEONE
2024 MAMA AWARDS Nominees
Visa ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- (G)I-DLE
- 82MAJOR
- aespa
- ALL(H)OURS
- AMPERS&ONE
- BABYMONSTER
- BAEKHYUN
- ENHYPEN
- ILLIT
- IU
- IVE
- JENNIE
- Jimin
- Jung Kook
- LE SSERAFIM
- Lim Young Woong
- NAYEON (of TWICE)
- NCT DREAM
- NCT WISH
- NewJeans
- NOWADAYS
- MEOVV
- QWER
- SEVENTEEN
- Stray Kids
- Taemin
- TAEYEON
- TOMORROW X TOGETHER
- TWICE
- TWS
- UNIS
- YOUNG POSSE
- YUQI (of (G)I-DLE)
- ZEROBASEONE
Visa SONG OF THE YEAR
- (G)I-DLE – Fate
- (G)I-DLE – Super Lady
- AKMU – Hero
- aespa – Armageddon
- aespa – Supernova
- BIBI – Bam Yang Gang
- Crush – Love You With All My Heart
- DAVICHI – A Very Personal Story
- DAY6 – Welcome to the Show
- DEAN – Die 4 You
- ECLIPSE – Sudden Shower
- ENHYPEN – Sweet Venom
- GroovyRoom – Yes or No (feat. HUH YUNJIN of LE SSERAFIM, Crush)
- HWASA – NA
- HYUKOH, Sunset Rollercoaster – Young Man
- IU – Love wins all
- ILLIT – Magnetic
- IVE – Baddie
- IVE – HEYA
- Jay Park – Taxi Blurr (Feat. NATTY of KISS OF LIFE)
- JENNIE – You & Me
- Jimin – Who
- Jung Kook – Standing Next to You
- K.Will – No Sad Song For My Broken Heart (Prod. Yoonsang)
- KEY – Pleasure Shop
- LE SSERAFIM – Crazy
- LE SSERAFIM – Easy
- LEE CHANGSUB – Heavenly Fate
- LEE MU JIN – Episode
- Lee Young Ji – Small girl (Feat. D.O.)
- Leellamarz – Boys Like Girls (Feat. Gist, Jayci yucca)
- Lim Young Woong – Warmth
- LUCY – The Knight Who Can’t Die and the Silk Cradle
- N.Flying – Into You
- NAYEON – ABCD
- NCT 127 – Fact Check
- NewJeans – How Sweet
- NewJeans – Supernatural
- PLAVE – Way 4 Luv
- QWER – T.B.H
- Red Velvet – Cosmic
- RIIZE – Impossible
- RIIZE – Love 119
- RM – Lost!
- Roy Kim – Whenever, Wherever
- SEVENTEEN – God of Music
- SEVENTEEN – Maestro
- Stray Kids – LALALALA
- Sung Si Kyung, Naul – Even for a moment
- Sunmi – Balloon in Love
- Taemin – Guilty
- TAEYEON – Dream
- TAEYEON – To. X
- TAEYONG – Tap
- TWS – Plot Twist
- YUQI – Freak
- ZICO – SPOT! (feat. JENNIE)
Visa ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- (G)I-DLE – 2
- aespa – Armageddon
- ATEEZ – The World EP.Fin: Will
- BAEKHYUN – Hello, World
- ENHYPEN – Romance: Untold
- IVE – I’ve Mine
- Jungkook – Golden
- LE SSERAFIM – Easy
- NCT 127 – Fact Check
- NCT DREAM – Dream()scape
- SEVENTEEN – Seventeenth Heaven
- Stray Kids – Rock-Star
- RIIZE – Riizing
- TOMORROW X TOGETHER – The Name Chapter: Freefall
- TWICE – With You-th
- ZEROBASEONE – Melting Point
Visa FANS’ CHOICE OF THE YEAR
FANS’ CHOICE MALE / FANS’ CHOICE FEMALE
BEST NEW MALE ARTIST
- 82MAJOR
- ALL(H)OURS
- AMPERS&ONE
- NCT WISH
- NOWADAYS
- TWS
BEST NEW FEMALE ARTIST
- BABYMONSTER
- ILLIT
- MEOVV
- QWER
- UNIS
- YOUNG POSSE
BEST MALE GROUP
- ENHYPEN
- NCT DREAM
- SEVENTEEN
- Stray Kids
- TOMORROW X TOGETHER
- ZEROBASEONE
BEST FEMALE GROUP
- (G)I-DLE
- aespa
- IVE
- LE SSERAFIM
- NewJeans
- TWICE
BEST MALE ARTIST
- BAEKHYUN
- Jimin
- Jung Kook
- Lim Young Woong
- TAEMIN
BEST FEMALE ARTIST
- IU
- JENNIE
- NAYEON (TWICE)
- TAEYEON
- YUQI ((G)I-DLE)
BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE MALE SOLO
- Jimin – Who
- Jung Kook – Standing Next to You
- KEY – Pleasure Shop
- TAEMIN – Guilty
- TAEYONG – TAP
BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE FEMALE SOLO
- HWASA – NA
- JENNIE – You & Me
- NAYEON (TWICE) – ABCD
- SUNMI – Balloon in Love
- YUQI ((G)I-DLE) – FREAK
BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE MALE GROUP
- NCT 127 – Fact Check
- RIIZE – Love 119
- SEVENTEEN – God of Music
- Stray Kids – LALALALA
- ENHYPEN – Sweet Venom
- TWS – plot twist
BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE FEMALE GROUP
- (G)I-DLE – Super Lady
- aespa – Supernova
- ILLIT – Magnetic
- IVE – Baddie
- LE SSERAFIM – EASY
- NewJeans – How Sweet
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE SOLO
- BIBI – Bam Yang Gang
- IU – Love wins all
- LEE MU JIN – Episode
- Lim Young Woong – Warmth
- TAEYEON – To. X
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE GROUP
- (G)I-DLE – Fate
- AKMU – Hero
- DAVICHI – A very personal story
- PLAVE – WAY 4 LUV
- Red Velvet – Cosmic
BEST RAP & HIPHOP PERFORMANCE
- DEAN – DIE 4 YOU
- Lee Young Ji – Small girl (Feat. D.O.)
- Leellamarz – Boys Like Girls (Feat. Gist, Jayci yucca)
- RM – LOST!
- ZICO – SPOT! (Feat. JENNIE)
BEST BAND PERFORMANCE
- DAY6 – Welcome to the Show
- HYUKOH, Sunset Rollercoaster – Young Man
- LUCY – The knight who can’t die and the silk cradle
- N.Flying – Into You
- QWER – T.B.H
BEST COLLABORATION
- GroovyRoom – Yes or No (Feat. HUH YUNJIN of LE SSERAFIM, Crush)
- Jay Park – Taxi Blurr (Feat. NATTY of KISS OF LIFE)
- Lee Young Ji – Small girl (Feat. D.O.)
- Sung Si Kyung, Naul – Even for a moment
- ZICO – SPOT! (Feat. JENNIE)
BEST OST (Original Soundtrack)
- Crush – Love You With All My Heart (Queen of Tears OST)
- ECLIPSE – Sudden Shower (Lovely Runner OST)
- LEE CHANGSUB – Heavenly fate (A Not So Fairy Tale OST)
- Roy Kim – Whenever, Wherever (My Demon OST)
- TAEYEON – Dream (Welcome to Samdal-ri OST)
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
- aespa – Armageddon
- IU – Love wins all
- IVE – HEYA
- K.Will – No Sad Song For My Broken Heart (Prod. Yoonsang)
- SEVENTEEN – MAESTRO
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
- aespa – Supernova
- ILLIT – Magnetic
- LE SSERAFIM – CRAZY
- NewJeans – Supernatural
- RIIZE – Impossible
- TAEMIN – Guilty
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