Nikhita Thapa | Photo Courtesy: Nabin Gurung / Street Nepal
Nikhita Thapa, The ultimate winner of 17th Image Award
17th Annual Tuborg Image Award was held on 13 February 2016 at Army Officers’ Club. The ultimate winner of the evening was a young singer Nikhita Thapa, won Album of the Year for her debut album ‘Nikhita’, Best Vocal Performance Female for ‘Sandhai Sunna Pau’ and Best Vocal Performance by Group/Duo with singer Suraj Thapa for ‘Timro Aakhako Bhaka’. Also, ‘Sandhai Sunna Pau’ from the album ‘Nikhita’ won Best Composition of the Year for Hari Lamsal.
The song ‘Kina Layau Maya…’ has also bagged two awards. For this song which has been sung by Milan Amatya, Kishore Thapa won Best Song Recording of the Year and late director Alok Nembang won Best Music Video Director. Meanwhile, Amatya won Best Vocal Performance Pop Female for ‘Dui Thopa Aansu’.
The Image Award presented awards in 23 categories. Among the winners, singer Swaroop Raj Acharya and composer Kali Prasad Baskota, who didn’t attend the award ceremony, won two awards each. Acharya won Best Song of the Year and Best Vocal Performance Male for song ‘Manamohini’ while ‘Jaalma’ got Baskota, Public Choice Award and Best Movie Soundtrack award.
Not only singers, composers and lyricists from folk, pop and contemporary genres were awarded. The man behind the songs and music videos, Lokesh Bajracharya honored with Best Music Video Editor of the Year for The Unity’s ‘Asha Ajhai’. The same song’s video grabbed the Best Music Video of the Year title award.
Moreover, multifaceted ‘Rato Bhale Kwaya Kwaya’ singer-composer Ganesh Rasik was honored with Lifetime Achievement Award for his years of contribution to Nepali music.
Other winners:
Best Vocal Performance Pop Male: Amir Sheakh — ‘Oye Maichyang’
Best Lyrics of the Year: ‘Soche Jasto Bhaye Jeevan’ — Rajubabu Shrestha
Best Vocal Performance Folk Song: ‘Aama’ — Raju Pariyar
Best Vocal Performance Dohori Song: ‘Junkiri’ — Birahi Karki and Sarita Karki
Best Dohori Song: ‘Rato Pachhyauri’ — Badri Pangeni and Sakuntala Thapa
