Aga Khan Music Awards 2025 announces finalists ahead of London festival

Elena Leo is the Arts & Lifestyle Editor of Ikon London Magazine.

Celebrating diverse musical traditions from the Great East, the awards bring together 22 finalists from 16 countries

The prestigious Aga Khan Music Awards has unveiled its 2025 finalists, marking a vibrant celebration of musical heritage from across the Middle East, North Africa, South and Western Asia, West Africa, and Europe. The winners will be revealed on 4 November, with the awards ceremony taking place at London’s Southbank Centre on 22 November, as part of a four-day festival running from 20-23 November.

For the first time, the festival will be hosted in the UK, in partnership with the EFG London Jazz Festival. The full programme of events is set to be announced on 8 October.

Established in 2018 by His Late Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV and Prince Amyn Aga Khan, the Aga Khan Music Awards honour outstanding achievement across the rich tapestry of musical cultures shaped by Islam. The awards celebrate individuals, ensembles, and organisations who sustain and reinvent traditions while promoting social cohesion, spiritual insight, and cultural resilience.

This year’s finalists were chosen from over 300 nominees spanning 16 countries. They include internationally acclaimed musicians and revered tradition-bearers who preserve lesser-known musical forms. Together, they highlight the breadth and vitality of Muslim musical heritage worldwide.

Among the finalists:

Mohi Bahauddin Dagar (India): Representing the 20th generation of a hereditary lineage specialising in dhrupad, an ancient style of North Indian classical music.
Mamadou Diabaté (Burkina Faso): Master balafon player and educator preserving the Sambla balafon tradition.
Hamid El Kasri (Morocco): A maâlem of the Gnawa tradition known for collaborations with artists like Joe Zawinul and Jacob Collier.
Farah Kaddour (Lebanon): Innovator on the buzuq, integrating music into humanitarian projects supporting displaced communities.

Other finalists include the Qalali Folk Band (Bahrain), Kamilya Jubran (Palestine), Kyriakos Kalaidzidis (Greece), Derya Turkan (Turkey), Senny Camara (Senegal), and Sahba Aminikia (Iran/USA), among others, representing a diverse range of styles and traditions.

The winners will share a prize fund of $500,000 and receive professional development opportunities including commissions, recordings, management, and support for educational and preservation initiatives.

The Aga Khan Music Awards Festival promises a rich programme of performances, workshops, and collaborations. It aims to foster pluralism, tolerance, and cultural understanding through the power of music.

The EFG London Jazz Festival, now in its 33rd year, will run alongside the awards festival, offering a unique cross-cultural music experience across London venues.

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