The Soul Train Awards 2023 threw tradition out of the window for the annual awards show honoring the best in Black music since 1987. Millennial mogul Keke Palmer replaced previous Gen X hosts Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold, and the ceremony itself was replaced with a ginormous house party at a mansion in the Hollywood Hills. The show’s new format may have been dramatically different, but the majority of performances were top-notch and the awards went to artists who truly deserved them.
The big winners of the night were SZA, Usher and Victoria Monét. Alt-R&B songstress SZA won Best R&B/Soul Female Artist, Album Of the Year for SOS, Song Of The Year for “Snooze” and the Ashford And Simpson Songwriter’s Award also for “Snooze.” Usher ended the night with three wins for Best R&B/Soul Male Artist, Best Collaboration for “Good Good” with Summer Walker and 21 Savage and the Certified Soul Awards. Right behind them was Victoria Monét who snagged two trophies for Best Dance Performance and Video Of The Year for “On My Mama.” Gospel artists Kirk Franklin and Maverick City Music won the Best Gospel/Inspirational Award and Best Group, respectively.
The only artist to actually attend the new-fangled Soul Train Awards soirée was Best New Artist winner Coco Jones who was present and accounted for and wowed everyone gathered with her performances with SWV and BJ The Chicago Kid. The rising star wasn’t the only honoree to rock the stage, however.
Janelle Monáe opened the show with a spirited medley of her jams “Float” and “Champagne S**t” before being awarded the Spirit Of Soul Award. Formerly known as the Lady Of Soul Award, the category was renamed to honor Monáe’s non-binary gender identity.
The show closer was T-Pain who was this year’s Legend Award recipient. Pain gave the Soul Train Awards 2023 the big finish that it needed with a career-spanning medley of songs from his endless catalog of hits. His selection for the Legend Award may have raised an eyebrow or two, but he showed and proved why some respect needs to be put on his name at all times with his high-energy performance.
Other performers throughout the show included Keke Palmer herself, Muni Long, Maeta, Dante Bowe, Fridayy, October London and Honey Bxby and Nicci Gilbert, Marsha Ambrosius, Eric Bellinger and Arin Ray who all participated in the annual Soul Cypher curated by Bryan-Michael Cox.
The Soul Train Awards 2023 may have switched it up this year with a new host and format, but their commitment to recognizing Black artists and their artistry remains steadfast. The house party setup didn’t exactly work for an awards show, but if Soul Train ever wants to come back with a series of performance specials in a similar setting, they’re on to something. Nonetheless, we look forward to watching the Soul Train Awards brand evolve and grow.
View all of the Soul Train Awards 2023 nominees and winners below.
- Advertisement -Soul Train Awards 2023 Nominees & Winners:
(Winners designated in bold)
LEGEND AWARD
T-PAIN
SPIRIT OF SOUL AWARD
JANELLE MONÁE
BEST NEW ARTIST
AMBRÉ
AYRA STARR
COCO JONES
DOECHII
FLO
FRIDAYY
TYLA
WANMOR
CERTIFIED SOUL AWARD
ANTHONY HAMILTON
ASHANTI
CIARA
ERIC BELLINGER
MONICA
PJ MORTON
RONALD ISLEY & THE ISLEY BROTHERS
T-PAIN
USHER
BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
“ALL OF THE GLORY” – SHIRLEY CAESAR
“ALL THINGS” – KIRK FRANKLIN
“CAME TOO FAR” – FRIDAYY FEAT. MAVERICK CITY MUSIC & MY MOM
“CRY” – KORYN HAWTHORNE
“FEEL ALRIGHT (BLESSED)” – ERICA CAMPBELL
“GOD PROBLEMS” – MAVERICK CITY MUSIC, CHANDLER MOORE & NAOMI RAINE
“THE JOURNEY” – H.E.R.
“TRY LOVE” – KIRK FRANKLIN
BEST R&B/SOUL FEMALE ARTIST
ARI LENNOX
BEYONCÉ
COCO JONES
H.E.R.
JANELLE MONÁE
SUMMER WALKER
SZA
VICTORIA MONÉT
BEST R&B/SOUL MALE ARTIST
6LACK
BABYFACE
BRENT FAIYAZ
BURNA BOY
CHRIS BROWN
ERIC BELLINGER
OCTOBER LONDON
USHER
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
THE AGE OF PLEASURE – JANELLE MONÁE
AGE/SEX/LOCATION – ARI LENNOX
CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP – SUMMER WALKER
GIRLS NIGHT OUT (EXTENDED) – BABYFACE
I TOLD THEM… – BURNA BOY
JAGUAR II – VICTORIA MONÉT
SOS – SZA
WHAT I DIDN'T TELL YOU (DELUXE) – COCO JONES
SONG OF THE YEAR
“BACK TO YOUR PLACE” – OCTOBER LONDON
“FAVORITE SONG” – TOOSII
“GOOD GOOD” – USHER, SUMMER WALKER & 21 SAVAGE
“ICU” – COCO JONES
“KILL BILL” – SZA
“LIPSTICK LOVER” – JANELLE MONÁE
“ON MY MAMA” – VICTORIA MONÉT
“SNOOZE” – SZA
THE ASHFORD AND SIMPSON SONGWRITER’S AWARD
“BACK TO YOUR PLACE” – OCTOBER LONDON
“FAVORITE SONG” – TOOSII
“GOOD GOOD” – USHER, SUMMER WALKER & 21 SAVAGE
“ICU” – COCO JONES
“KILL BILL” – SZA
“ON MY MAMA” – VICTORIA MONÉT
“SITTIN’ ON TOP OF THE WORLD” – BURNA BOY FEAT. 21 SAVAGE
“SNOOZE” – SZA
BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE
“BETTER THANGS” – CIARA FEAT. SUMMER WALKER
“BOYFRIEND” – USHER
“GOOD GOOD” – USHER, SUMMER WALKER & 21 SAVAGE
“HOW WE ROLL” – CIARA & CHRIS BROWN
“ON MY MAMA” – VICTORIA MONÉT
“SNOOZE” – SZA
“SUMMER TOO HOT” – CHRIS BROWN
“UNDER THE INFLUENCE” – CHRIS BROWN
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“BACK TO YOUR PLACE” – OCTOBER LONDON
“BOY’S A LIAR PT. 2” – PINKPANTHERESS & ICE SPICE
“BOYFRIEND” – USHER
“GOOD GOOD” – USHER, SUMMER WALKER & 21 SAVAGE
“ICU” – COCO JONES
“KILL BILL” – SZA
“LIPSTICK LOVER” – JANELLE MONÁE
“ON MY MAMA” – VICTORIA MONÉT
“SPECIAL” – LIZZO
BEST GROUP
DVSN
FLO
JAGGED EDGE
KOOL & THE GANG
MAVERICK CITY MUSIC
PHONY PPL
RONALD ISLEY & THE ISLEY BROTHERS
TANK AND THE BANGAS
WANMOR
BEST COLLABORATION
“AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM (REMIX)” – BEYONCÉ FEAT. KENDRICK LAMAR
“BOY’S A LIAR, PT. 2” – PINKPANTHERESS & ICE SPICE
“CREEPIN' (REMIX)” – METRO BOOMIN, THE WEEKND, DIDDY FEAT. 21 SAVAGE
“FLY GIRL” – FLO FEAT. MISSY ELLIOTT
“GOOD GOOD” – USHER, SUMMER WALKER & 21 SAVAGE
“SITTIN’ ON TOP OF THE WORLD” – BURNA BOY FEAT. 21 SAVAGE
“SPECIAL” – LIZZO FEAT. SZA
“TO SUMMER, FROM COLE (AUDIO HUG)” – SUMMER WALKER & J. COLE
